Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State has submitted his presidential nomination and expression of intention forms at the All Progressives Congress national secretariat in Abuja.
According to the Special Adviser Media and Publicity to Ayade, Christian Ita, the submission which took place at the office of the National Organising Secretary of the party, was done on behalf of Ayade by the Cross River State chairman of the APC, Alphonsus Eba.
Eba was said to have eulogised the governor for his achievements in the last seven years, declaring that Nigeria needs an Ayade to fix the country.
“With near zero allocation, Ayade has been able to do magic in the state. We can boast of over 32 factories, a network of roads and world-class infrastructure strategically situated across the state. These great achievements and more will be replicated in Nigeria if Ayade becomes President,” he said.
Eba added that every problem faced by the country would be surmounted when Ayade becomes the president of the country in 2023, describing the governor as the “best light that will illuminate Nigeria.”
He further stated, “What Nigeria needs at this moment is a man who can frog leap the country into a first world economy and we have found such man in the person of Senator, Professor, Barrister Ben Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State.”
Receiving the forms, the Party’s National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, who spoke on behalf of the National Chairman of the party certified Prof. Ben Ayade fit and qualified to be the party’s presidential candidate, having fulfilled all the party’s requirements to enable him to vie for the position.
Eba was accompanied by Senator Stephen Odey, National Women Leader of the party, Dr Betta Edu, former Chief of Staff to Governor Ayade, Hon. Martins Orim, and House of Representatives member representing Obudu, Bekwarra and Obanliku Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo.
Others were former Commissioner for Finance, Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr., his Agriculture counterpart, Ntufam Okon Owuna, Rt. Hon Itaya Nyong, Hon. Titi Ndifon, as well as council chairmen of Biase, Obanliku and Calabar South.