Former Governor of Cross Rivers State; His excellency; Professor Benedict Benguioshuye Ayade is one of the brightest brains we have in the country. He has shown it as he rose astronomically in the academics sector rising to his peak as a professor with a very distinct career in academics before venturing into the murky waters of politics contesting first as senator of Cross Rivers North before he was elected Governor while serving a two-term. As governor, he was controversial, especially for naming his budgets esoteric names that you might need the help of a dictionary to decipher. If a soothsayer had told him that politics and its intricacies are not for the lily-livered and at some point it soil your good name and can also dent the image and perception you have built for years within a short while; Maybe Ayade would have remained in academics and not venture into politics.
Little did he know that joining politics would reveal his weaknesses and make him vulnerable to the point that after his 8-year reign as Governor, the sojourn would taint his perception in the face of his people. The once revered leader and senator of the state has recently fallen off in the sight of his people. Those who used to hold him in high regard have remained disappointed with his reign as Governor of the state. In a bid to show their displeasure; they massively voted him out when he wanted to contest to move back to the Senate which is a clear indication that he has been rejected by his people.
Close sources revealed that; Ayade can no longer go to his local government or his hometown because they feel aggrieved that his reign didn’t attract development to his hometown. Some said the Obudu Cattle Ranch was a tourist attraction that generated revenue for the people of Obudu as Governor he left it to rot away. They feel aggrieved that; his performance as governor was abysmal and that he ran the state to a state of comatose; more reason he was denied the opportunity to represent them at the senate which ruined his chances of becoming the senate president.
However, sources say; in a bid to stay afloat politically to grasp for life to avoid sinking; after almost a year of staying out of the cynosure of all eyes in a bid to recoil back into his shell and ponder on his next political move; Ayade has been holding reconciliation meetings with stakeholders in other to save his dwindling political career. He was seen at the Ramadan party of Senator Bashir Lado last week with other top politicians. We also gathered that the relationship between him and his successor is not that smooth as His successor is facing lots of pressure to fix all the rot he met on the ground. “Senator Ayade has turned into a visitor in his own house. He is trying hard to remain relevant politically but the way he ran the state for 8 years has made even his staunch supporters disown him. With his current moves, we don’t know maybe he might be able to salvage his political base.”
