Nigeria’s former senate president, Anyim Pius Anyim has declared interest to contest for president under the country’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
The Ebonyi State born Anyim, who was secretary to the government of the federation under president Goodluck Jonathan, noted that he is determined to run for the nation’s top job, whether or not there is zoning in the party.
Anyim who made the disclosure on Saturday in an interview with journalists, said that the party was being repositioned to take power in 2023.
Anyim noted that the party’s national convention would signal the commencement of its political activities.
According to him, “Posters of my presidential bid and agitations by groups for me to contest flooded the social media in 2020 and I disassociated myself from such calls.
“I felt that it was too early for such a declaration, to enable the present administration to concentrate on governance.
“Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I chose to be quiet over the issue. We currently have less than 18 months to the next elections, and I feel the time is ripe to indicate my interest,” Anyim said.
Anyim said that the zoning committee instituted by the party was only saddled with zoning party positions and not other positions, noting that nothing stops anyone from the Southeast from contesting, even if not zoned to the region.
“Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops anyone from South-East Zone from contesting the presidency even if it is not zoned to it,” he said.
“The most important thing is that the party’s national convention is a sort of rebirth for a group of people who have recovered from a setback.The party members are focused and determined.”
