Senator Anyim Pius Anyim former Senate President of Nigeria and a presidential aspirant in the 2023 general election under the People’s Democratic Party Thursday called on the major political parties in the country APC and the PDP to zone their presidential ticket to the southeast.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, said he was contesting for the 2023 presidential election to save the country from further apprehension.
He spoke in Enugu during the southeast briefing and consultative session for leaders of the zone on his presidential ambition.
He noted that if elected, he will rescue, reunite, rebuild, and reposition the country.
According to him, Nigerians were expecting someone that has the experience and capacity to rebuild the country and insisted that zoning or no zoning in his PDP party, he will contest the 2023 presidential election as according to him, he has gathered the experience to deliver if elected the President.
His words, “as we prepare for 2023 elections, I take the liberty to say that the challenge before our great party is how to deliver on the expectations of the Nigerian people. Nigerians are looking up to the PDP to rebuild our nation; to protect lives and property; to restore the respect of Nigeria within the Comity of Nations; to re-align the political structure of Nigeria to reflect the current realities; to revive our economy and save the naira; to rebuild our broken-down social fabric; to create jobs for our teeming youths and rehabilitate our collapsing educational systems among others. My brothers and sisters, the summary of these expectations is that Nigerians expect PDP to return to power so that our nation can resume the march to greatness.
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“The above tasks are no mean ones. The political pedigree, vision, and credentials of who leads the party to accomplish these tasks must command priority attention and consideration of our great party. It is in furtherance of this that I put forth my credentials and records for your consideration.
“Would like to state that, I have stood with our party, the PDP, in good and bad times. Like most loyal party members, I have had my moments of elation, as well as some difficult times but I never moved. I have never switched parties. Therefore, I make bold to say that I can be entrusted with the vision, mission, values, and principles of PDP as a committed party man;
“I have been privileged to understand our national problems and appreciate their enormity and peculiarities in the last 21 years from my vantage positions in both the legislative and the executive arms of government. Therefore, I have a clear view of the task ahead as well as the solutions needed to advance the cause of our country.
“My records as President of the Senate and as Secretary to the Government of the Federation clearly show that I am more interested in building strong institutions than seeking enhancement of personal power or position. My records show effective and efficient management of the nation’s diversity based on equity, justice, fairness, and inclusiveness”, he said.
Anyim used the occasion and called on all the political parties in the country to zone their presidential tickets to the southeast for equity and fairness.
He said if the 2023 presidency is zoned to the southeast, it will satisfy the just demand of equity and fairness in the country and that if it is zoned to the zone, it will remain a burden on the conscience of the nation’.
” Nevertheless, you may recall that when I declared my interest to contest for the presidency, I was emphatic that I will contest whether the presidency is zoned to the South or not. This is because If the presidency is zoned to South East, it will satisfy the just demand of equity and fairness. If it is not zoned to the South East, it will remain a burden on the conscience of the nation.
” Let me therefore at this point join all well-meaning Nigerians to appeal to all the political parties to take the fair, just and equitable decision to zone their presidential slots to the South particularly the southeast”, he said.
Some leaders of the southeast including Senator T.A Orji, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senators, Obinna Ogba, Ama Nnachi, Iyom Josephine Anini among others, reaffirmed their support to Anyim, describing them as a man of requisite experience to govern the country.
They maintained that the presidential ticket should be given to the southeast as the Igbos are speaking with one voice and for the economy of Nigeria to be restored an Igbo man should be allowed to rule the country.
Adding that Igbos are not visitors to Nigeria, therefore, should be allowed to rule the country.
