In an unusual departure from established practice, Linus Obogo, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bassey Otu, yesterday issued a public statement announcing a presidential invitation extended to former Governor Ben Ayade.
Ayade, currently an aspirant for the Cross River North Senatorial seat under the ruling Progressives Congress, APC, had been scheduled to appear before the party’s leadership forum in Ogoja alongside other national assembly contenders. However, the presidential summons effectively excuses him from that engagement, as he is now expected to meet with President Bola Tinubu instead.
This development is noteworthy for more than procedural reasons. It marks the first publicly announced presidential visitation involving a Cross River political figure under Tinubu’s administration. Traditionally, such engagements, including those involving the state’s sitting governor, Sen. Otu have been conducted with discretion, devoid of public preambles or post-meeting disclosures.
Beyond the symbolism of the invitation that was likely facilitated by the Governor from the way it was announced, there's a hidden narrative of political maturity and mutual respect between him and his predecessor. Few weeks ago, Ayade, while receiving party loyalists at his Abuja residence, made a public commitment to abide by any decision taken by Governor Otu regarding the senatorial ticket. That declaration showed not only personal loyalty but also deference to institutional authority.
Governor Otu, for his part, has managed his relationship with his predecessor with nobity and tact. The result has been a relatively cohesive party structure in Cross River, where both leaders continue to command respect among party faithful. In a political environment often defined by factionalism, this sustained alignment is worth acknowledging.
Looking ahead to the presidential meeting, two possible scenarious may play out. The President may counsel Ayade to step aside from the race, possibly with the prospect of alternative national appointments, particularly given existing vacancies within the federal cabinet. Or, the meeting could serve as an avenue for reconciliation and strategic alignment, with Ayade encouraged to proceed under clearly defined conditions. Either outcome would likely reinforce party stability and prove Otu as a worthy successor.
More importantly, the engagement could trigger a needed thaw in intra-party relations. I suspect that the outcome of the meeting would engineer Ayade and Sen. Jarigbe Agom to find common ground for the first time since their bitter contest in 2023. Whether or not either secures the party’s ticket, I see them not only moving on from their disagreement in the interests of peace and stability of the senatorial district but because it seems a win-win for everybody.
Whichever way it goes, this carefully orchestrated political moment, facilitated, it would appear, by the Governor, may deliver what Cross River North's politics has long required; unity, stability, and a recalibration of interests towards collective progress.
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