Ben Ayade’s Defection: Top Aide Resigns, Rejects APC

Governor Ben Ayade’s Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals, Mark Obi, has resigned his appointment.

The aide to the Cross River governor tendered his resignation in a letter seen by NAN on Monday.

Giving reasons for his resignation, Obi said that “as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, he would not defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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“Following recent happenings in the political alignment of the state governor, I am persuaded to review my involvement in the current state administration,” he said.

“Consequently, being a founding and subsisting member of the PDP in Cross River, I cannot in good conscience remain in my appointment as Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals.

“I hereby resign my appointment as Special Adviser immediately. I am very grateful to Gov. Ayade for finding me worthy to serve the state in the said capacity.

“Nevertheless, I will continue to support the state and government in any way possible as a stakeholder and senior citizen.”

Recall that Governor Ben Ayade had recently dumped the PDP for the APC.

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Giving reasons for his defection, Ayade had highlighted the character attributes of President Muhammadu Buhari and the realisation that Cross River, which has been emasculated economically following the ceding of its oil wells, needed to be in sync with the party at the centre.

“Having seen and known the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his nationalistic disposition and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of,” he said.

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