Tinubu Halts Ayade’s 2027 Senate Ambition as Ex-Governor Breaks Silence, Decries “Tears of Agony”

Former Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has announced that he will step back from his senatorial ambition after what he described as a directive from President Bola Tinubu ordering him to withdraw from the 2027 race.

Ayade disclosed the development in a statement on Monday, saying he was summoned to Abuja for what was described as a high-level consultation with the Presidency before the instruction was handed down.

According to him, the meeting ended with a clear directive that he should suspend his bid for the Cross River North Senate seat, a decision he said he has now accepted.

“From the sequence of events that followed my return, Mr. President wants me to withhold my Senate ambition. I yield to his request even as I pour tears of ill treatment and agony,” he stated.

The former governor, who is one of the early political figures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South, used the statement to highlight his past role in strengthening the party’s presence in the region.

He recalled being the first APC governor in the South-South and claimed to have contributed significantly to the party’s performance in the 2023 presidential election in Cross River State.

Ayade also noted that he played a key role in mobilising support for President Tinubu, insisting that the party recorded what he described as a historic margin over the opposition in the state.

Despite his contributions, he expressed frustration that he has not received any federal appointment in over three years, a situation he believes reflects political neglect.

The former governor further stated that he has been running a free transportation initiative aimed at supporting the administration’s broader political objectives ahead of the 2027 elections.

He appealed for reconsideration of the decision, arguing that his senatorial district has been underrepresented compared to rival political blocs within the state.

Ayade’s withdrawal adds a new dimension to the early political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly within the APC in the South-South region.