By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The much-speculated defection of the Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) became a reality on Thursday.
Ayade made the switch surrounded by seven governors elected on the platform of the APC, who visited earlier on Wednesday.
The announcement was made in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Ayade who was first elected in 2015 and reelected in 2019 on the PDP platform has been having a running battle with other PDP chieftains in the state who control the party structure.
He is now the second PDP governor to defect to APC in recent times, coming after Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi.
With Ayade’s defection, the APC has regained one governorship seat in the South-South zone.
Among those that met with Ayade over dinner on Wednesday were the Governors Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe).