A fierce political war has erupted in Cross River North as Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe launched a blistering attack on former Governor Ben Ayade, accusing him of distorting facts, spreading falsehoods, and desperately attempting to rewrite his declining political legacy.
In a strongly worded statement, Jarigbe dismissed Ayade’s recent claims as “blatant lies,” accusing the former governor of hypocrisy, ethnic bias, and political irrelevance.
Jarigbe alleged that Ayade once mocked his Hausa traditional attire, describing it as evidence of “split personality,” and said such conduct exposed deep resentment toward Muslims, contrary to Ayade’s current posturing.
“A man who openly derided Muslim traditional attire cannot suddenly present himself as a defender of Muslims,” Jarigbe declared, insisting that Muslim voters across Cross River North overwhelmingly supported him over Ayade.
The senator further dismantled Ayade’s political claims, reminding the public that even while Ayade served as sitting governor, his political machinery suffered humiliating defeats in Cross River North.
According to Jarigbe, his political structure delivered the Senate seat, two House of Representatives seats, and four House of Assembly seats, while Ayade could secure only his immediate constituency.
“We are not political weaklings. We come with real votes because we have worked for our people,” Jarigbe asserted.
Jarigbe also accused Ayade of dishonesty regarding his role in President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 electoral success, noting that Ayade contested against Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries, refused to step down, and later failed to deliver Cross River State for the APC in the general election.
“He lost woefully, refused to step aside, and then lost his state to the opposition. Why is he lying?” Jarigbe queried.
In one of his harshest criticisms, Jarigbe accused Ayade of abandoning the Senate seat out of personal ambition, despite existing political expectations that power should rotate to the North, describing him as entitled and disconnected from present political realities.
He further alleged that Ayade defected from the PDP to APC only after losing control of the PDP structure, insisting his defection was driven by political survival rather than party loyalty.
“Senator Ayade deserves no reward. He emptied our treasury and now seeks another chance to deprive our people,” Jarigbe charged.
Jarigbe praised APC leadership for resisting any attempt to impose Ayade on Cross River North, declaring that the former governor has been thoroughly rejected by the people.
“He remains a political disaster, and our people will never vote for him again,” he said.
The senator also mocked Ayade’s social media conduct, daring him to reopen public comments on his posts to witness what he described as overwhelming public rejection.
On the issue of zoning, Jarigbe firmly rejected Ayade’s narrative, insisting there has never been formal zoning for the Cross River North senatorial seat.
“No matter how you embellish a lie, it will never become the truth,” Jarigbe concluded.
The explosive statement underscores deepening fractures within Cross River APC ranks and signals an intensifying battle for political supremacy ahead of future contests.
