The Governor of Cross River state, Ben Ayade, has claimed President Muhammadu Buhari has given him approval to contest for president in 2023.
Ayade stated this on Tuesday, after meeting with Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Governor said the President has asked him to make necessary consultations on the matter with his people while he watches.
On the potential moves of former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the APC and become the party’s flagbearer, Governor Ayade said he has respect for the former president, and that if it is the decision of the APC to field him as its candidate, he would support him.
“I believe that the party leadership will decide 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 president and I’m running,” Ayade said.
“At any point in time the political leadership of my party, the APC, feels that President Jonathan is the appropriate candidate that will 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 on the country. I will never question the powers of the leader of the country.
“I have never played the politics of antagonism or fights. If you know how I became governor, I became governor by offering to support whoever the governor wants. By a stroke of luck, I became the candidate. The same token… I’m only here to support the President’s candidate and by a stroke of luck he said you too go there and join the race.”
