Unlike the governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose who is fond of criticizing and exchanging banters with the federal government, the Cross River state governor, Prof Ben Ayade has revealed why he is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor with a difference.
Recently fielding questions from reporters at the state's international airport in Calabar, Ayade posited that he prefers to be different from others because of his people (Cross Riverians) adding that politics should not be for the sake of politics but for the service of the people.
"We did not seek office for the mere sake of politics. Politics is (for) service to your people, it is not politics for the sake of politics. And so for me, I am focused on ensuring that I work with the president (Muhammadu Buhari) for the good of my people in Cross River state," Ayade said.
In contrast to what has been transpiring between Ayade's counterpart in Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose whose only achievement so far has been described in some quarters as 'criticizing the federal government out of context' and President Buhari is the Cross River state governor's ability to strike a cordial working relations with the president.
According to Ayade, this has been made possible by President Buhari's character, person and integrity. These qualities, Ayade revealed have 'tremendously endeared him to believing that if he share his feelings with the president, he won't discriminate based on party or ethnicity'.
"if I share my feelings with him, he won't look at me as a southern governor or PDP governor and he has shown that in all ways," Ayade pointed out.
Speaking against the politics of hatred the kind described as " cannibalistic style of politics where everything is seen from the perspective of the next elections," Ayade rhetorically asked: "How can a country spend its time running election and copying democracy that is not consistent with our habits as a people?".
Affirming that there is need for a good relationship with President Buhari in all areas so that his bid to construct a new economy for Cross River state will be hitch-free, Ayade noted that the president is not an All Progressive Congress (APC) president but that of the federal republic of Nigeria.
"He (Buhari) did not seek election to be APC president, he sought to be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is who he is and what he has continued to exhibit.
"People will imagine that I should be fighting the president, people will imagine that as a PDP governor, how am I going to meet with the president. And when I get such conversations, I feel pained because the whole nation now revolves around the fulcrum of politics."
The governor averred that having a good relationship with the president does not make him a lightweight PDP member adding that he remains a strong member of the PDP.
Ayade's words: "I am a PDP governor in all my spirit. I am a strong member of the party and I believe in the party."
The governor also praised Cross Riverians for being supportive of his relationship with the president which he (Buhari) reciprocated with his first state visit to the state for the groundbreaking ceremony of the superhighway noting: "I think it is only natural for us to show him this level of respect by going to him for consultation, giving him progress report and all the support he needs as a president to succeed".
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