Calabar/Abuja, NIGERIA — Former Cross River State Governor, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade, has formally announced his withdrawal from the Cross River North Senatorial race ahead of the 2027 General Elections. In a deeply emotional statement released on Monday, May 4, 2026, Ayade revealed that his decision followed a summons to the Presidency in Abuja, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requested him to shelve his legislative ambition.
Ayade, who expressed “tears of ill-treatment and agony,” used the announcement to remind the APC leadership of his foundational role as the party’s first governor in the South-South. He pointed to his 2023 performance, where he delivered nearly 40,000 votes above the PDP in Cross River, and his early advocacy for the President under the slogan, “If Tinubu Can Fix Lagos, Tinubu Can Fix Nigeria.”
Okay News reports that despite these contributions, Ayade lamented being sidelined for over three years without a federal appointment, even as he currently funds a free transportation scheme to support the President’s re-election.
The former governor made a final appeal for a review of the directive, citing “equity and fairness” in representation. He argued that his specific federal constituency has only held the senatorial seat for eight years, whereas his main rival is seeking what would essentially be a fourth term in the National Assembly.
