2023: Gov Ayade hosts Tinubu, says it is south turn to rule

Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade, on Wednesday said with the expiration of eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari next year, it is the turn of the South to produce the next president of Nigeria.

He said the idea of zoning came about to ensure an egalitarian and equitable power sharing in the country.

Governor Ayade spoke when a national leader of the All Progressives Congress and presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, visited him at the Government House, Calabar.

“Zoning is a provision of our constitution to ensure balancing. It should not be about ethnic or regional domination, but balancing. It’s the turn of Southern Nigeria in 2023,” he said.

Governor Ayade said the country was in dire need of change and a new way of doing things, arguing that with Nigeria’s potential “as around Number 7 in the world in terms of oil and gas deposit, it is regrettable that the country is still importing petrol to meet its local demand.”

While describing Mr Tinubu as a trans-generational leader and political strategist, the governor said the politician has the capacity, experience and exposure to lead and is more than qualified to be Nigeria’s president.

Mr Ayade said history would be kind to Mr Tinubu as the man who propelled the APC to power in 2015, adding that the APC leader was a cornerstone of the party’s success.

“Thank you for your insensitivity to party affiliation, to age difference, to religion and to ethnicity,” he added.

Responding, Mr Tinubu promised to work with the state for the full development of Calabar Port if elected president.

Joining Asiwaju Tinubu on the visit were Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura; former governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima; former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba; Presidential Aide, Yau Darazo, and Chairman of TETFUND, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, among others.

The APC leader had also earlier visited the Obong of Calabar, His Royal Highness, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, who described him a “great former Lagos governor, a great power-broker and a great leader of APC.”