The Governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade reportedly had a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari today at the Aso Rock Presidental Villa, Abuja.
The meeting according to Vanguard News, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja with the arrival of Ayade at about 1p.m. Clutching a file, the governor who dressed in white Niger Delta shirt and a black trousers was ushered into the president’s office.
Meeting his absence, Ayade was later taken to meet the President at his residence in a waiting SUV.
It was later gathered that the governor came to discuss the deep seaport project of his government.
It will be recalled that the proposed Bakassi deep seaport and the 260km superhighway are estimated to cost about N700 billion. The deep seaport is expected to boost the export of produce such as rice and banana as well as solid minerals.
Some political watchers, especially from Cross River State suggested that Ayade's visit to Buhari may not be unconnected with defection plan.
There are strong indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is making serious efforts towards gaining more grounds in the South-East and South- South ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The targets of the federal ruling party are some governors in the geo-political zones.The APC performed woefully in the two zones in the 2015 general elections, losing most of the areas, save for Imo State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
That is in addition to Anambra State, which has been in the hands of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
To this end, report according to New Telegraph suggested that top leaders of the party are dangling carrots of automatic re-election to some first term governors in the two zones.
To this end, report according to New Telegraph suggested that top leaders of the party are dangling carrots of automatic re-election to some first term governors in the two zones.
With the exception of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who has proven a stubborn fly for the APC, sources said that other governors in the two zones, who are in their first terms, but do not belong to the APC, are being targeted for the cross-over onslaught.
Sources close to the APC indicated that top on the list of those being approached are the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano; Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi; Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade and that of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
It was gathered that towards achieving the goal, some top shots of the APC in the two regions have been reaching out to the governors, with a view to convincing them to join the APC and ditch the PDP.
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