By Emeka Okafor
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State says he decided to dumped his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to assist the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to fix the country’s problem.
He said his defection was also to return Cross River state to national politics.
Ayade, a professor of Environmental Microbiology, gave the reasons moment after being received by APC governors led by the national caretaker committee chairman and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni at the Government House in Calabar.
According to him, “We need to join hands with President Buhari in his determination to enhance the fortunes of the country. I need all governors to similarly join me and understand my decision to join the APC.
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“We need to work ahead with the president for the future and unity of Nigeria. We all need to sit at the same dining table with Mr Presidential to save Nigeria.
“It is my responsibility to bring back Cross River to the centre in order to enhance her fortunes.
“I therefore formally declare myself a member and leader of APC in Cross River State.”
While welcoming Ayade into the APC, Governor Buni said President Buhari and party leaders are happy to receive the Cross River governor into the party.
Buni stressed that the governor had automatically becomes the leader of the party in the state and urged members of the party in the state to unit.
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He appealed to other governors in the south-south region to join the APC to secure the future of Nigeria.
Among the governors that received Prof. Ayade into the party were Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) Hope Uzodima (Imo) and Simon Lalung (Plateau)
Also in attendance were the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Senatir Florence Ita-Giwa and other senior chieftains of the APC in Cross River.
