Ayade unopposed as party disqualifies other aspirants in Cross River

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has allegedly disqualified two aspirants challenging Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State for the party’s ticket in the governorship primaries to hold today.

But the two aspirants, Dr Paul Udayi and Emmanuel Ibeshi, resisted the development, which they described as an act of impunity and injustice.

They said they were disqualified without any explanation from the party.

They were upset that after having bought the required forms to participate in the primaries and after been cleared, they were summarily disqualified.

Addressing reporters in Calabar yesterday, Ibeshi who said he was disqualified yesterday said: “There is no valid ground for my disqualification and I have been provided with no such ground.

“Indeed there has been no attempt to justify or even explain its action in cancelling the clearance certificate earlier issued to me to contest the election.

“This committee was given a devious agenda – to disqualify all aspirants contesting for the gubernatorial ticket of Cross River State, thus leaving the incumbent, Senator Ben Ayade, as the only aspirant for the party ticket.

“We understand Governor Ayade was particularly irked that he was the only governor in the South-South Zone facing opposition in the primaries for the party ticket.

“I am ready to contest my disqualification and seek such redress and remedies as are available under the law in this country.

“The main issue behind all these drama is that Governor Ayade having run an extremely incompetent government is afraid of being defeated if the people are given a chance freely to choose between me and him.”

Ibeshi said he will consult with his team on his next steps.

Udayi, who was disqualified on earlier, had dragged the party to the State High Court over the issue.

Udayi was the first aspirant to pick up the expression of interest and nomination form to contest the governorship election in Cross River State from the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.

The defendants in the suit are PDP the National Chairman of PDP, the Cross River State chairman of PDP, the Chairman of the Gubernatorial Screening Committee for the South-South geo-political zone and members of the Gubernatorial Screening Committee for the South-South geo-political zone.