Why
I moved to APC — Gov Ayade
Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade Thursday
decamped from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives
Congress APC,
Ayade who formally declared for the ruling party at the
Cross River State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office in Calabar after
a two-hour meeting with seven APC governors led by the party’s interim chairman
and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
Speaking on why he left PDP for the APC, Ayade hinted that
the character attributes of President Muhammadu Buhari and the realisation that
Cross River, which has been emasculated economically following the ceding of
its oil wells, needed to be in sync with the party at the centre, as the main
reasons for moving.
His words: Having seen and known the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his
nationalistic disposition and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to
where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands
with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of.
Speaking on the development, Buni said he and his team were
in the state to formally welcome Governor Ayade to the APC.
Other APC governors who witnessed the event were Hope
Uzodinma of Imo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Solomon Lalong of Plateau
State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his Jigawa State counterpart, Mohammed Badaru
Abubakar.
Also present was the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief
Timipre Sylva.
Including the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, Speaker of
the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams Jones and members of the
state house of assembly.
Also, some National Assembly members, members of the Cross
River State Executive Council members, local government chairmen, councillors
and some stakeholders, including Dame Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and High Chief
Asuquo Ekpenyong amongst others.
