<\/p>\n
The former governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has opened up about his frustrations with the All Progressives Congress (APC). <\/p>\n
He said the party has not given him the recognition he expected after taking major risks to join the ruling party.<\/p>\n
Ayade noted that he crossed from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC at a time when the entire South-South region was firmly in the opposition. <\/p>\n
According to him, the move came with political sacrifice and personal battles that many people do not fully understand.<\/p>\n
He explained that he expected the party to reward his loyalty, especially because he was the first sitting governor from the South-South to align his state with the APC. But he said the treatment he has received since then has been far from encouraging.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a media interview, the former governor said his political journey in the party left him with \u201cscars,\u201d adding that the wounds are still fresh and have not been properly acknowledged.<\/p>\n
Ayade said he fought hard to ensure Cross River was connected to the ruling party. \u201cI am carrying the scars of the battle for the sovereignty of the state,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
He noted that even though the experience was painful, he still believes President Bola Tinubu <\/a>understands the role he played and the risks he took.<\/p>\n The former Cross River Governor explained that his relationship with President Tinubu <\/a>goes back many years. <\/p>\n He described the president as \u201ca smart leader\u201d who knows those who stood by him. Ayade also expressed optimism that the president will eventually \u201csurprise the country positively.\u201d<\/p>\n Ayade recalled that his move to the APC in 2021 was based on deep political calculation. <\/p>\n He said he saw that the opposition would soon lose relevance, so he decided to align Cross River with the federal government early. \u201cI could see tomorrow,\u201d he said. \u201cThe crystal ball was clear.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the decision to \u201csocket to the center\u201d was not an emotional jump but a strategic plan to keep his state politically relevant. According to him, this required careful analysis and strong conviction.<\/p>\n The former governor also stated that he was one of the earliest politicians to openly endorse Bola Tinubu <\/a>for president, long before the APC primaries. He said he even made the declaration during international interviews.<\/p>\n Ayade added that he devoted a large part of his campaign period to promoting Tinubu\u2019s candidacy during the 2023 elections. Despite all these, he said the party has not treated him fairly or credited him for the impact he made in the South-South. <\/p>\n He, however, insisted that he is still hopeful that the president will address the situation at the right time.<\/p>\n
He admitted that he focused so much on Tinubu <\/a>that he sometimes forgot he had his own election to worry about.<\/p>\n