From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade has informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ayade, who said he had the longest meeting with the President ever, said Buhari advised him to do more consultation before declaring.
He pointed out that he did not tell President Buhari that he wanted to join the presidential race as he observed that it was not decent telling an office holder that one was interested in taking over his office.
However, he said, the President expressed delight that he did not speak of his desire to succeed him in office but gave him the go ahead to hold consultations on the matter while he (Buhari) watches him.
The Governor who said, he came to seek spiritual and political guidance from the President, on who will take over from him come 2023 for continuity sake, stressed that security, economy, electricity and employment generation will be his focus should he become the president.
Ayade said he will replicate what he did in Cross River, adding that if the presidency is zoned to the south, he is willing to take up the challenge as the only APC governor in the south south.
On the purpose of this visit, he said: “I came before President Muhammadu Buhari as a servant of God supplicating for a direction for proper alignment. Because this is how true democracy is practiced. Because it is not an election. It is a family, the party is an association of people. So you must first come before the leadership of that your family to seek direction.
“So I sought a direction with an intent to support the president to assist in my own way to contribute for him to produce his successor, who would understand his government and know how to continue with the programmes of its government.
“But the good news is, the President says, you are governor from the south south, go out there too and consult. I am happy that you didn’t come here to tell me you want to run, you came here to say you want to support me. Let me watch you as you go out there.
“So I want to announce to all of you, that having secured an opportunity, a window for a trial and I do so at the instance of the president. And I’m willing to stop at any point where it becomes necessary, that I find that my interest does not align with the directions of the president.
“At this moment, as I speak with you, without my request, the President has said yes, I have heard you very well, you have spoken well. I’m happy you didn’t come here to tell me you want to run for president.
“So I want to announce to all of you that I, Professor Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River State, God willing, will go out there. And also try to effect the process of bringing value to support the president to see that the next president of Nigeria is in tune with his projects, his key projects and ensure that they are sustained and continued. And those that have not reached the finish line, take them to the finish line, and develop an agenda that can indeed show that he had laid a master plan for the progress and prosperity of this nation.
“My answer is that I am running because the President has said you go while I watch. As reporters, I want you to report me intellectually. I want you to understand that truly, outside all the cheap talks, the truth is that my approach to the president is different.
“I will support the President’s candidate. Even though I am on standby, if I’m available. If you’re the choice, I will support the President’s candidate. And the President says you are not outside of my view. Go. I give you blessing, go and consult, ensure that you engage with key people while I watch. I think it’s a dedication that I have the right to go and try, to go and declare so I will.”
Asked to react to unconfirmed report that the APC might present former President, Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate for the 2023 presidential election, he said “I have great respect for President Jonathan and so I have no challenges whatsoever.
“I believe that the party leadership will decide on the appropriate candidate that will take our party to victory. And so, if you heard me well, I am just part of the family absolutely loyal to the president, seeking to run for the president. And I am running. But at any point in time that the political leadership of my party, the APC feels that president Jonathan is the appropriate candidate that will actually take us take us to victory, I will turn my support for him.
“I am never, ever going to fight the establishment, the institution, the aristocracy, the spiritual vortex of which God has placed a leader of a country. I will never question the powers of the leader of a country. I have never played a politics of antagonism or fight.
“If you know how I became governor, I came governor by offering to suppprt whoever the governor wants and by stroke of luck, I became the candidate.
“By the same token, I am only here to support the president’s candidate and by a stroke of luck, he said, you too go there and join the race and let me see.”