APC Primary: I Will Respect APC Consensus Candidate If Process Is Fair – Ayade

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, on Tuesday, said he will respect the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should the party field a consensus candidate for the 2023 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the governor said the decision of the ruling party supersedes his personal decision, provided the process is transparent and fair enough.

“In a scenario where the party creates very classical elucidations of the basis and selection criteria that I find completely adequate, I will have no objection,” the governor said.

“If the basis for narrowing down to somebody on the consensus basis and I don’t happen to be the one, I need to understand the selection criteria to explain how they arrived at Mr A and not B. If I feel that is a fair process, of course, I will yield to the supremacy of the party.

“I am a team player and I don’t have any qualms with that. But I must see that it is fair and transparent. I know that capacity will be one of the key factors in consideration.”

The governor also boasted of having bagged the requisite experience to lead Nigeria, wondering what selection will exclude him from clinching the APC presidential ticket.

Speaking further, Ayade said he has worked for several years in the oil and gas sector, served as a lecturer in a university, and served as a lawmaker and lawyer coupled with his governorship experience.

As Cross River Governor, Ayade said, “I pride myself as having over 30 factories to my credit. No governor has built the number of factories I have built in this country. So I wouldn’t know what selection process will exclude me.”