Benedict Ayade

Benedict Ayade Biography / Profile

Benedict Bengioushuye Ayade was born on the 2nd of March 1969 to the family of Mr and Mrs. Peter Akinsheye Ayade, a native of Kakum, a village in Obudu LGA, northern Cross River State. His parents were both devout Catholics. His father worked as a public servant with the water board.

Benedict Ayade Age

Benedict Ayade is 55 years old.

Benedict Ayade Early Life

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

He earned his B.Sc. (Honours) in Microbiology at Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Nigeria (1984 - 1988) and proceeded to the University of Ibadan (1990 - 1994) where he obtained his Ph.D., winning the Best Doctoral Dissertation Award in Environmental Microbiology.

Benedict Ayade Career

He proceeded to pursue a career in environmental consulting. He was appointed Chairman of the Ecological fund, Chairman of the International Institute of Environmental Research and a member of SPAC. He also worked on Groundwater Remediation in Nigeria, and invented a sewage treatment plant based on solar energy. An addition to his laurels as an environmental consultant was an award from the Government of Japan for outstanding research into Global Warming in Africa. He became a member of the Nigeria Association of Petroleum Engineers and the Cross River State Poverty Alleviation Board.

Mr. Benedict Ayade in his political career has held many positions including PDP chieftain in Cross River State, member of the Strategy Committee in the government of Senator Liyel Imoke, whose election as governor was nullified in 2008.

In the January 2011 PDP primary elections, Ayade contested for the Cross River North Senatorial position but was later restrained from presenting himself as a candidate by a court injunction on the grounds of violating the electoral Act due to a N20 million donation to the Liyel Imoke Campaign petition. Eventually, the allegation was found to be untrue and the case was thrown out in court.

He has ever since held positions in the Senate including Vice-Chairman of the Senate committee on Environment and Ecology and member of the Senate Committees on Education, Marine Transport, Petroleum Downstream, and Drugs/Narcotics/Crime.

In 2015, he contested in the gubernatorial election in the State under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and emerged winner, hence, the Governor of Cross River State.