TheCable

Ben Ayade, Cross River governor, says he will support the presidential ambition of Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, if he becomes the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election. 

Ayade spoke on Friday when Amaechi met with him and the APC state delegates in Calabar, Cross River state capital.

The governor said Amaechi has shown commitment to Cross River and to Nigeria, and that he has a lot of experience that qualifies him for president.

Ayade, who has also declared his interest in the 2023 presidential race, said he’ll support Amaechi, adding that they are not competitors.

“I agree with my brother Amaechi, totally. He comes with a lot of experience. He is one man who has shown commitment to Cross River state and Nigeria,” he said.

“You are our leader, we will work with you and at any point in time we will always work together.

“I have had extensive discussions with Amaechi, and I can tell you that we are not competitors; we are co-petitors. I am comfortable with him. He is not a tricky politician, and I think that’s a good attribute of leadership. Let me mention clearly here, that for us as a state, outside of Ayade, we are very comfortable if you secure the ticket.

“And so, I wish you well, I commend you to go before the delegates of my state, and I ask you (delegates) to judge him based on balanced fairness, because what God has destined for him, I cannot take it.”

On his part, Amaechi said he is “the most experienced” aspirant running for president in the 2023 general election.

“I’m not the oldest, but I am the most experienced of all the aspirants, both in APC and PDP. I have been governor for eight years, speaker for eight years, minister for seven years now. I have not seen anybody that comes with that kind of experience for the office of the president that I come with,” he said.