Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ayade was elected governor on the platform of the PDP in 2015, and re-elected for a second term two years ago.

He was also elected senator in 2011 for his single term in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly, also on the platform of the PDP.

But the governor ended that long-term relationship on Thursday, May 20, 2021 when he announced his defection to the party currently in charge of the Federal Government.

The 53-year-old announced his defection while hosting six APC governors and other top government officials who visited him at the Government House in Calabar.

He said it's his responsibility to connect Cross River to the centre and help the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

"Cross River State is today formally declared as an APC state," he said.

Ayade's defection is the most high profile between the two major parties since Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, similarly dumped the PDP for APC last November.

Both parties have boasted in the media that governors and high ranking public officials on the other side are eager to switch allegiances, a common trend that assumes fever pitch ahead of general elections.