I'm Happy My Tenure Will End Soon; People Are Pushing Me To Contest For Presidency - Ayade

 

Governor Ben Ayade

By Obio Monday

The governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade says he is happy his tenure as governor is gradually winding down, as it will afford him the opportunity to rest.

Governor Ayade made the revelation in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Friday, February 11, which was monitored by GRASSROOT REPORTERS.

The governor said the state has never owed salaries nor pension, despite the state being the second to the last in terms of allocation from the Federal Government

He said: "I dey pay plenty people salary even though dem no dey work."

Governor Ayade listed some of his achievements in the last seven years to include job creation, construction of major roads in the three senatorial district of the state, Boki East-West road, Obanliku-Bekwarra-Obudu-Ogoja-Yala dual carriage road, Spaghetti Flyover (to be completed in six months), Super Highway. 

The governor said necessary approvals has been granted for the Bakassi Deep Sea Port, adding that his administration is currently looking for funds for the project.

On the Super Highway, Governor Ayade said the project cannot be completed by one administration, stressing the importance of having a successor that would continue with the project. He said if the funds at his disposal are not enough to complete the project, he will do the best he can and leave the rest, that that doesn't mean the idea was a bad one. He said the project was hampered by numerous challenges, ranging from court cases to petitions.

He said the state had not benefited from the conservation effort on its forests. 

He said: 

"For three years, we dey fight say we cut forest, na President Muhammadu Buhari help me, say, wen oyibo dey cut their forest, who dey there dey answer dem? The forest wen we keep, all the conservation effort that they are putting, which one Kobo wen e dey give us?"

On his ambition to contest for the presidency, he confessed that people have been pressurizing him to contest, but that he will await the decision of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on who should be the candidate of the party, adding that his style of politics is to support the system and not to front himself for elections.