Presidential primary: Endorse me when you get to Abuja, Tinubu tells Ayade

Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor who is seeking to clinch the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked Ben Ayade, Cross River governor, to support his presidential bid.

Ayade, who is also a presidential hopeful, met with Tinubu when the latter visited Cross River on Wednesday.

In his remarks, the former Lagos governor promised to improve the economy of Cross River if he is elected president.

“Mine is to respect you as you respect me. I appeal to you as your senior brother and the first to declare his intention, not to endorse me today, but when you get to Abuja, you can endorse me fully,” Tinubu said, according to a statement by his media office.

“We must have that unity of purpose. We must work together not only for the unity and economic development of Cross River, but also of the country. We owe that to the present and future generations.”

On his part, Ayade said it is the turn of the south to produce the president, adding that the idea of zoning is to ensure equity.

“Zoning is a provision of our constitution to ensure balancing. It should not be about ethnic or regional domination, but balancing. It’s the turn of southern Nigeria in 2023,” he was quoted as saying.

The former Lagos governor was accompanied on the visit by Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano; Tanko Al-Makura, former governor of Nasarawa; Kashim Shettima, former Borno governor, among others.

See photos below.