UNDERSTANDING SEN. BEN AYADE'S PAST TO SECURE OUR FUTURE IN 2027.
Every seat of power comes with a burden most critics never see: the mathematics of disappointment. For every single decision a governor makes, hundreds of hopes are either fulfilled or frustrated. The major challenge most governors experience is ensuring that government opportunities go round to all masses, which in most cases are left with the option of choosing just an individual, at a particular time. Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade governed Cross River State from 2015 to 2023. Like every governor before him, he walked into this reality.
The Politics of One Chair, Ten Aspirants;
Consider elective offices alone. For every House of Assembly ticket, every local government chairmanship, every commissioner slot, every D.G appointments, there were often 10 or more qualified party men and women who wanted it at the same time. Yet the law and political structure permit only one name per position. What happens to the other nine? Human nature takes over. Many take offence. They become critics. They carry the story that “he did not pick me,” and over eight years, that pool of disappointment grows. Multiply that by every appointment, every board, every S.A. and P.A. position, and you begin to see why a former governor will always have vocal critics. It is not always about performance. It is often about personal exclusion.
Contracts, Approvals, and the Myth of “Everyone”
The same arithmetic applied to contracts and opportunities. One road is awarded to one company, not five. One supply contract goes to one vendor, not twenty. One youth empowerment slot reaches one ward first, not all wards at once. A governor must choose. And every choice, by design, creates more people who did not get chosen than people who did. That is governance. It is not wickedness. It is mathematics.
Ayade governed during a period of lean federal allocation, COVID-19, End-SARS protest, and global recession. Still, decisions had to be made daily on salaries, projects, and patronage. Those decisions could not possibly satisfy every interest group at the same time. The frustration is understandable. But it should not be mistaken for failure.
Judge the Man, Not the Office;
The office of governor forces a man to say “no” more times than he says “yes.” The Senate is different. It is not about awarding contracts or sharing appointments. It is about lawmaking, oversight, and advocacy. It is about using intellect, experience, and federal access to bring value to your people.
On that score, Ayade’s record is clear. As Senator from 2011 to 2015, he was known for scholarships, for bills, and for giving young people a platform before it was fashionable. As a private citizen before 2011, he was already paying school fees for strangers. That is character. Offices change. Character does not.
Why Cross River North Needs Him Back in 2027
To assess Ayade in 2027 for the impossible choices 2015-2023 forced on him is to misunderstand government itself. No man can make 10 people chairman of one LGA. No governor can award one contract to five companies.
But a senator can fight for 10,000 students to get federal scholarships. A senator can move motions that open industries for 100 contractors. A senator can attract the kind of federal presence that makes the old grievances irrelevant.
Ayade has been tested in the red chamber. He knows the rules. He has the national network. And his history shows that when the job is about people, not patronage, he delivers.
A Change of Heart;
If you did not get that appointment in 2017, you are not alone. If your company lost that bid in 2019, you are not the only one. That is the cost of leadership in a state where needs outnumber resources.
But 2027 is not about 2017. It is about the next four years. It is about sending a man who has governed, who has legislated, and who still believes in developing people to Abuja to speak for Cross River North. Criticism built on disappointment is human. Progress built on experience is smarter.
In 2027, let us choose progress. Let us return Sen. Ben Ayade to the Senate.
PROF SIR AYADE MEDIA.
PUBLISH BY MD CEO BILLIONAIRE BILL'S MEDIA TEAM AND BLOG SIR AYADE KJSI CON UNINTIMIDATED GUTSY SPOKESMAN