Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), presidential aspirant, Pius Anyim, on Wednesday said the years he spent in government have given him knowledge on how to tackle the nation’s myriad problems.
Anyim, speaking at the PDP secretariat when he submitted his presidential nomination form to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in Abuja, stated that from the vantage positions held, “I understand the challenges confronting our nation today and I have clarity of what the solutions could be”
On the issue of zoning, the former Senate president appealed to the party to defend section 7(3)(C) of its constitution
“My appeal is that PDP should defend section 7 (3) (c) of its constitution.
I seek your prayers and partnership on this collective journey. I trust that I can count on your support and goodwill at all times”
Anyim while agreeing to abide by the decision of the party, however, reminded the party that democracy thrives on three “certainties” which he listed as the “certainty of tenure, certainty of structure, and certainty of process”.
“At any time any of these certainties is no longer guaranteed, democracy will corrupt justice and enthrone inequity. Accordingly, my appeal is that zoning being a fundamental principle of our party should not be jettisoned.
“Democracy, being a system of rules and order, depends on strong institutions for its sustenance and success. When a system can no longer defend its rules, it will enthrone the reign of might as against the rule of law”
He stated that never before in Nigeria’s history has the nation been as divided as it is today, along the lines of ethnicity and religion.
Anyim also noted that “separatist agitations have become a national problem, Boko Haram – Islamic State! IPOB – Biafra State! Igboho – Oduduwa State, added that “kidnapping and banditry have become choice occupations”.
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Anyim traced the root of all the agitations to “bad governance, discrimination, nepotism, mediocrity, and denial of the dividends of democracy.”
According to Anyim, non-state actors have unhindered access to superior arms to confront, and in some cases, overpower state actors, adding that the capacity of the state to protect lives and property has been severely weakened.
Anyim stated that “poverty, hunger and deprivation have sapped the self-confidence of our citizens, weakened their faith in the country and eroded their sense of patriotism.
“Let me say that my presentation is not a manifesto as I shall implement the party manifest but my personal pathway to give meaning to our party manifesto.
“In my entire public service career, I worked only in the presidency. As a civil servant in two parastatals in the presidency; as president of the Senate, I worked alongside a president. As secretary to the government of the federation, I functioned as the engine room of the presidency in the glorious PDP administration of President Goodluck Jonathan”
“My experience is cognate, my capacity is proven, my nationalist disposition is established and my knowledge of our country is profound”.
On his economic agenda for the country, Anyim said he will anchor his development plans on Industrialisation, talent and innovation, science and technology.
He believed that the promotion of industrialisation at various scales, including large, medium and small scales, will drastically reduce importation, improve local production and strengthen the Naira.
“We shall promote micro, small and medium enterprises. Our policy on this shall segment the enterprises according to their sectors e.g., technical, hybrid, recreation, instructional and support them with training, marketing, technology, start-up funds,” he noted.
