By Kelvin Obambon
Former Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has provided a detailed explanation of his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2021, asserting that the move was strategic and predicated on a clear foresight of Nigeria’s political future.
Ayade, who governed the state from 2015 to 2023, stated this on Friday shortly after he arrived Calabar the state capital. He said his controversial shift from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was informed by his ability to predict the nation’s political trajectory.
“The real truth was that I could see tomorrow. The crystal ball was clear,” the former governor stated. He explained that as the nation appeared to be “gradually descending into the level of caution” it became imperative to align with the ruling party.
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“It was obvious that I saw tomorrow and I knew that the right thing for us to do at that point in time was actually to cross to the ruling party,” he added.
This move, he said, led to the creation of his widely discussed political principle. “And that’s why I came up with the principle of socketing to the center,” he stated. Ayade elaborated that achieving this socketing required careful planning, “to do so, it required us to understand and do a dialectical analysis of the situation with a proper surgery of what I need to do to be able to socket properly to the center.”
Following his defection, he was quick to endorse the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He claimed he was among the very first to announce his preference, justifying the choice based on the President’s past governance record. He recalled stating, even on international platforms like the BBC, that, “if Tinubu could fix Lagos, Tinubu can fix Nigeria.”
Reflecting on the ensuing political battles and consequences, the former governor acknowledged the toll the decision took. He noted that he is currently “carrying these scars, the scars of the battle for the sovereignty of the state.”
However, Ayade expressed unwavering confidence in President Tinubu, highlighting their long-standing relationship. “My relationship with him predates his days as president. So he knows who I am. He knows my word,” he said, concluding that “I believe in spite of all the stories, he will surprise this country.”
The ex governor was received by a mammoth crowd at the airport, led by the state Chairman of APC, Barr. Alphonsus Eba.
