Why I Joined APC – Ayade

Governor Benedict Ayade has explained why he joined the All Progressives Party (APC).

Gatekeepers News reports that Governor Benedict Ayade of Cross River State, Southern Nigeria said he joined APC due to the leadership qualities of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ayade, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stated that he wishes to assist Buhari in dealing with the challenges the country is facing.

Gatekeepers news had on Thursday, 20 May, reported that Ayade left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

He, however, stated that he has no issue with his previous party. “As to whether there are issues in the PDP, no. The party stood by me all through the way,” Ayade said.

He spoke further, “In any other legal issue that I have had, PDP had stood with me. PDP gave me the opportunity to be a senator; PDP gave me the opportunity to be governor.

“I would never have any time to pull down PDP. I have integrity, character, and honour. My politics have ethics. My decision to join APC is to join the President to reduce the tension in the country.”

The Cross River Governor also hinted that more PDP Governors will join APC soon:
“I am happy to announce to you that very soon, more governors are joining (the APC) because what we want to achieve is a country where we all can sit with the President and agree on our succession process, we don’t have to fight.”

As regards his cabinet, Ayade said,
“All the chairmen of the local governments, almost all the House of Assembly members, most of the National Assembly members, my entire commissioners and cabinet today.”

He added, “That is the amount of the political structure … in Cross River State, once the governor moves, everybody moves.”