The high-stakes world of Nigerian politics shifted gears this week as a dramatic confrontation unfolded between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the former Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade. The Lagos Times has learned that the President has firmly requested Ayade to step down from the senatorial race, prompting a desperate appeal from the former governor.
The tension-soaked meeting revealed the friction between individual ambition and the President’s vision for the 10th Assembly. Sources present at the villa described the scene as “intense,” with Ayade reportedly pleading his case directly to the President, asking for the chance to test his popularity at the polls. His plea, “Please allow me to contest,” has since become a talking point among the political elite, symbolizing the shift in power dynamics under the current administration.
President Tinubu’s decision to ask Ayade to withdraw is believed to be part of a broader “stabilization strategy.” The Presidency is keen on ensuring that the Senate is populated by individuals who can navigate the complex legislative hurdles ahead without the distractions of internal party rivalries. In this calculated chess game, Ayade appears to be a piece that the President is willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the party’s regional balance.
For Ayade, whose tenure as governor was marked by grand industrial projects and a flair for the dramatic, this instruction is a bitter pill to swallow. Having lost his previous attempt to secure a Senate seat while still in office, this second blockage—this time from within his own party—threatens to consign him to the political wilderness.
While some party loyalists in Lagos have hailed the President’s “firm leadership” in preventing unnecessary primary battles, others whisper about the optics of such a public rejection. Whether Ayade will bow out gracefully or seek a “Plan B” remains to be seen. In the city of Lagos, where political maneuvers are watched like a spectator sport, the fall-out from this Abuja encounter is expected to dominate the headlines for weeks to come.
