Ayade Knowing he had no chance to win the 2022 APC presidential primary,allegedly decided to extort money from other aspirants ,falsely promising to step down for them.
He then shortchanged Cross River delegates, keeping most of the funds for himself while giving them a paltry sum.
· He arrogantly told delegates to ignore “deep pocket” candidates and vote for him instead, based on his intellect, a clear attempt to undermine President Tinubu
Again funds provided by the party/presidential campaign for Cross River State were never used for their intended purpose , instead, Ayade donated part of those funds to an opposition candidate,simply because he believed the late former President supported another candidate and not Tinubu
· This was not just disloyalty; it is active financial sabotage.
It was this action by Ayade that directly Caused President Tinubu to Lose Cross River State
· Despite the President’s national victory, Ayade’s betrayal, withholding resources, diverting money to rivals, and running a self-interested delegate strategy, ensured that Cross River did not deliver for Tinubu.
· The result: the President lost a state he should have been competitive in, purely because of Ayade’s greed and ego.
· Ayade lost the 2023 Senate election to Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe even while he was sitting governor, an almost unheard-of defeat that proves his utter rejection by Cross River North voters.
· Yet instead of accepting responsibility, he blames Governor Otu and Senator Godswill Akpabio for his own failure. That is classic deflection. Ayade acted alone and should not drag governor Otu or the Senate President into his conspiracy job
It’s not about Governor Otu or Akpabio’s influence. Ayade’s untrustworthiness stands on its own:
· He defrauded fellow aspirants.
· He stole from the President’s campaign.
· He actively worked against the President’s interest in his own state.
· He lost his own election and now scapegoats others.
Any President, looking at these facts, would conclude that Ayade is a liability, not an ally. The blackmail attempts won’t change the record. Ayade has already been rejected by his people and rightly, by anyone who values loyalty and integrity in politics.
Ayade stop the blackmail against Governor Otu. He is in charge of Cross River State. He has achieved what you couldn’t achieve in 8 years, in less than 3 years .
Ayade’s albatross is no one else but himself.
Ekpenyong NSA . APC Chieftain and public affairs analyst in Cross River State
