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Ben AyadeCON
Governor of Cross River State
In office 29 May 2015 – 29 May 2023
Deputy	Ivara Esu
Preceded by	Liyel Imoke
Succeeded by	Bassey Edet Otu
Senator for Cross River North
In office 6 June 2011 – 29 May 2015
Succeeded by	Rose Oko
Personal details
Born	Benedict Bengiuoshuye Ayade (1968-03-02) 2 March 1968 (age 56) Kakum, Cross River State, Nigeria
Political party	All Progressives Congress (2021–present)
Other political affiliations	Peoples Democratic Party (2011–2021)
Spouse	Linda Ayade
Children	3
Education	St. Stephens Primary School
Alma mater	University of Ibadan Ambrose Alli University Delta State University
Profession	Politician lawyer environmentalist
Website	senatorbenayade.org

Benedict Bengiuoshuye Ayade CON ((listen); born 2 March 1968) is a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Cross River State from 2015 to 2023. He served as Senator for Cross River North from 2011 to 2015.

Early life

He was born in Obudu LGA of Cross River State on 2 March 1968 to Peter Akinsheye Ayade and Beatrice Ngayi Ayade. He hails from Kakum Village, Ipong Ward of Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. His parents were both devout Catholics. His father worked as a public servant with the water board.

Education

Benedict Ayade received his primary education at St. Stephens Primary School, Obudu, and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Obudu, Nigeria, for his secondary education.

Ayade earned his B.Sc. (Honours) from the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Nigeria (1984–1988). He then proceeded to obtain his M.Sc. in microbiology (1989–1990) and subsequently his Ph.D. in environmental microbiology from the same University of Ibadan (1990–1994), winning the Best Doctoral Dissertation Award in Environmental Microbiology. Ayade also has an MBA (2000–2002) from Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State. Ayade is a lawyer with an LL.B. law degree (2006–2010) from Delta State University, Abraka. Ayade went on to work as a lecturer at Delta State University, Abraka, where he was subsequently appointed professor.

From his work in groundwater remediation in Nigeria, Ayade invented a sewage treatment plant powered by solar energy.

Appointments/political career

• Chairman of Ecological Fund
• Chairman of International Institute of Environmental Research
• Member of Strategic Policy Advisory Council
• Member of Nigeria Association of Petroleum Engineers
• Member of Cross River State Poverty Alleviation Board

Ayade ventured into politics when he ran for a seat in the Nigerian Senate in the 2011 elections as a member of the PDP. Ayade was elected by accumulating a total of 91,123 votes.

During his term in the Senate, Ayade held the position of vice-chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology. He was also a member of other committees such as Petroleum Downstream, Education, Drugs/Narcotics/Crime etc.

Ayade won the gubernatorial poll again on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 2015 elections in Cross River State, having polled 342,016 votes ahead of the All Progressives Congress candidate in the state, Odey Ochicha, with 53,983 votes.

Ayade recontested in the 2019 gubernatorial elections as a member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and was reelected as the governor of Cross River State.

Awards

Ayade was awarded the 2016 Vanguard Governor of the Year.

Ayade was awarded the 2019 Champion Newspaper Governor of the Year.

Ayade was awarded the 2020 Leadership newspaper Governor of the year.

Ayade was also awarded the Blueprint Newspaper Governor of the Year on Agro-industrialization 2021. The award was in recognition of his developmental strides on Agro-industrialization.

On 24 August 2019, Ayade was invested as the Knight of St. John (KSJ) International by the Roman Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Cathedral, the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar.

In October 2022, he was awarded a national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Family and personal life

Ayade is married to Dr. Linda Ayade and has 3 children. His hobbies include reading, playing and watching games, as well as dancing.

See also

• List of governors of Cross River State

References

1. "Ayade wins Cross River governorship election". The Nation. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
2. ^ "Meet Sen Ben Ayade". Senator Ben Ayade's Website. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
3. "Ayade: A Governor and Philanthropist @51". This Day. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
4. ^ Donney, Donyoh (6 December 2015). "Gov. Ayade Leads African Governors to Climate Summit in Paris". Channels TV. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
5. "Senator Ayade Wins Cross River Governorship With Landslide". Cross River watch. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
6. "Ayade wins re-election as governor of Cross River". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
7. "INEC declares Ben Ayade winner of Cross Rivers governorship election". Oak TV Newstrack. Oak tv. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
8. "Vanguard Gov of the Year Award: Gowon, Anyaoku, laud Ayade". Vanguard. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
9. Ulom, Frank (19 November 2019). "Champion Newspaper Awards Ayade Governor Of The Year 2019". The Sun. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
10. Ulom, Frank (25 August 2019). "Governor Ayade Is Now A Knight Of St. John (KSJ)". The Paradise News. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
11. "News in Photographs: Buhari Confers National Honours on Distinguished Nigerians, Foreigners". TYhis Day. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
12. Wodu, Ada (15 December 2021). "Gov Ayade's wife kicks off health insurance scheme". The Punch. Retrieved 31 August 2024.

• 1969 births
• Living people
• Ambrose Alli University alumni
• Delta State University, Abraka alumni
• People from Cross River State
• Peoples Democratic Party members of the Senate (Nigeria)
• Peoples Democratic Party state governors of Nigeria
• University of Ibadan alumni
• Commanders of the Order of the Niger
• Senators of the 7th National Assembly (Nigeria)