Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has justified his decision to appoint 38,000 political aides, noting that it is to reduce poverty.

The Governor explained further that there is no point spending scarce resources on huge projects when the people themselves are hungry.

Speaking further, Ayade noted that the appointment of many political aides has provided the opportunity for him to better govern as it has afforded him peace of mind while the appointees continue to bring value to the table.

The Governor, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the submission on Friday during an interview with Arise TV.

He said, “In politics talk is cheap. I have history. I know clearly that poverty is extreme and I decided to bring 38,000 young people into the dining table to allow me the emotional and social temperature to take advantage of my business connection to bring value to Cross River state.”

“These people are bringing values. I have several projects ongoing. All of these need people to manage. Besides let’s deal with it, if you look at the principles, section 14 of our constitution: the primary purpose of government is the welfare and security for the people. Of what use would it be to build a super highway or a deep sea port when 4.5 million people are dying out of hunger. It’s better to put food on a table than to put food on concrete. These 38,000 people have not only brought value, they’ve reduced poverty.”

Ayade explained further that his decision to dump the PDP and join the APC is in the best interest of the state as Cross River needs to align with the central government to get better attention from the federal government.

“Cross River state is challenged. We’ve lost oil wells; we’ve lost our territory. We seem to come from a minority section. We can’t also afford extreme opposition and I’ve always believed that moderation is the rule.”

“As I have joined [APC], it’s easier for my voice to be heard and even louder. It’s completely different when you speak from the opposition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said that he will not allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) registration and revalidation process to be hijacked by selfish individuals.

He made this known when he received the APC registration and revalidation appeal committee in Owerri, the Imo capital, on Thursday.

Uzodinma alleged that his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha, attempted to hijack the party registration and revalidation process in the state.

The governor claimed that Okorocha refused to be registered as an APC member in the state, adding that he has promoted an all-inclusive process in the state, irrespective of affiliations.