However, to their chagrin, Ayade is no political neophyte to be so easily manipulated.
Politics is often a theoretical extension of war, and every politician, in essence, is a soldier on the battlefield. Strategies are deployed with calculated precision—war of attrition, Fabian tactics, and other devices—each designed, however ruthless, to weaken opponents and secure ultimate victory.
In recent days, the political space in Cross River State, particularly the Northern Senatorial District, has been inundated with a deluge of vitriol-laced commentaries and combative rhetoric directed at the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial hopeful, His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade. Some of these actors, in the mold of modern-day Victor Frankensteins and Uriah Heeps, appear to be advancing a calculated narrative: one aimed at artificially inflating Ayade’s political stature as a decoy—an attempt to lure him into overreaching beyond the Senate. Some of them, rose to prominence on the magnanimity of his fellowship. Some, he spoon-fed and shoehorned.
However, to their chagrin, Ayade is no political neophyte to be so easily manipulated. A man of letters and intellect, he is well-versed in history, including the dynamics of the Second Punic War. He is not one to be worn down like Hannibal under the persistent pressure of Fabius Maximus. Thus, the narrative suggesting that he is “too big” for the Senate, or that he would regard Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr. and Williams Eteng Jones as subordinates, is both hollow and misguided.
The Senate is neither a classroom nor an age-grade assembly; it is a constitutionally established body of elected representatives. Membership is not defined by hierarchy of past offices but by the mandate of the people. Ayade, by temperament and disposition, is not driven by arrogance but moderated by a cultivated sense of humility. So, if elected, he will engage his colleagues as equals, not as subordinates.
Furthermore, the argument that former governors should retire from active politics into elder statesmanship lacks empirical grounding, but a pointer to ignorance. In the current 10th Senate, 13 out of 109 senators are former governors—approximately 12 percent. This is neither incidental nor insignificant; it reflects a pattern where executive experience is often brought to bear within the legislative arena.
A breakdown across geopolitical zones supports this point. The Northwest boasts figures such as Senators Aminu Tambuwal and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), alongside Adamu Aliero (Kebbi) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara). In the South-South, Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), and Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) exemplify this trend. The North-Central features Senators Sani Bello (Niger North) and Simon Lalong (Plateau South), while the North-East includes Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and Danjuma Goje of Gombe State. The South-East and South-West are represented by Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), respectively. In the 9th Senate, the red chamber had 17 former governors.
Notably, in this dispensation, none of these individuals serves as a subordinate or “errand” senator. They operate as independent lawmakers, contributing their experience to legislative processes. Therefore, if Prof Ben Ayade is elected, he will join the Senate not as a figure overshadowing others, nor as one diminished by comparison, but as a seasoned participant, and he will be poised to bring his wealth of experience to bear in collaboration with his colleagues.
Mr Ogar Emmanuel Oko writes from Cross River State.
NB: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the author, Ogar Emmanuel Oko and do not represent the opinion of TheInvestigator or any other organisation the author works for/with.