A rights group, Save Nigeria Movement (SNM), has kicked against the presidential ambition of the former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim.
Convener of the group, Rev Solomon Semaka also frowned at the role being played by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike aimed at imposing a president of Igbo or northern origin.
The group, in a statement on Tuesday, warned Nigerians to be wary of Wike’s alleged selfish agenda targeted at installing Anyim in the south-east, Aminu Tambuwal in the north-west and Bala Mohammed in the northeast as the President for varied interests.
It enjoined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the conviction of politicians facing charges of corrupt practices in the country.
“With Anyim, he wants to be Chief of Staff. With either Tambuwal or Bala, he desires a Vice Presidential post. Wike just wants to be in control. He wants to dictate the political pace for Nigeria.
“Why are Nigerians and particularly Rivers people not asking questions. The other time Wike is in Sokoto State where he donated a whopping 500m naira to Sokoto State. Over what? For what? Has wike solved all Rivers problems? Why waste the resources of Rivers State when there is so much yet to be done?”, the group noted.
The group unequivocally stated that it does not in any way support the aspiration of Anyim Pius Anyim to be President of Nigeria.
The group added that “He is not qualified by any standard to lead Nigeria. Anyim is the least qualified person from Ndigbo to be in the saddle of this country’s seat of power. Why are we against the aspiration of Anyim?
“There are many reasons and we will continue to avail Nigerians of these reasons till it is obvious to him that he is not the right person for the position. Anyim is running away from the raging ocean surge of justice and can only be clutch by any weak branch in the name of contesting the presidency.
“It is common knowledge how Anyim as Secretary to the Government of the Federation helped Wike to remain supervising Minister of education in 2014/15 after then-President Jonathan dropped Prof Riqqua Ahmed as Minister.
“While Wike held sway, he helped Anyim in no small way. The Ministry bled. Anyim fronts ended up with substandard jobs or collapsed buildings in many of the tertiary institutions. The Nigerian public is also aware of how through the assistance of Anyim, Wike used his Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI) to fight former Governor Rotimi Amaechi in Rivers State.
“In his declaration for Presidency on 6th January 2022 at Enugu, Anyim claimed to be a democrat, respecter of rule of law and builder of democratic institutions. This is not true. What role did Anyim play in the Governors Forum election of 2014…the 16:19 controversial result?
“Was Anyim on the side of truth or manipulation? What role did he play in the last Ebonyi State PDP Congress where he was accused of imposing Toochukwu Okorie as State party Chairman? Thank God national party primaries are no State Congress.
“Anyim became Senate President when it was zoned to Ebonyi after the planned ouster of Okadigbo. Will Anyim Swear he didn’t know how Chuba was removed? Anyim became SGF when it was zoned to the Southeast. Now he wants to be President because he believes it is the turn of Ndigbo. What a tribalist. Anyim is parochial and narrow-minded.
“Anyim’s democratic credential is poor. The trio of Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi and Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu should tell Nigerians about their experiences in the hands of Anyim.
“Anyim is not a team player. He is an opportunist. How did he become Senate President? May the spirit of Okadigbo which will haunt Anyim forever rest in peace. Anyim is not straight with facts and one is tempted to call him a liar.
“He stated during his Enugu show of shame that he has never switched parties. Really? What happened in 2003? At the peak of his fight with Sam Egwu as Governor of Ebonyi State for which it was impossible for him to return to the Senate and coupled with his subsequent failed threat to impeach Obasanjo, Anyim publicly stated that he was resigning from politics and PDP. What did he do next? His house became then opposition APP Secretariat.
“He supported Senator Lawrence Nwuruku to vie for the Governorship of Ebonyi State. But in a supremacy fight of sorts, Sam Egwu chased Anyim and his ragtag political boys away. He went into oblivion till fate smiled at him in 2011 when he was made SGF.
“Give Anyim a small political space, he would become an emperor. He doesn’t have the temperament to be President. He is high handed, proud and avaricious. Ask Elechi. Ask Egwu. Ask Umahi. As Senate President, Sam Egwu never slept. Anyim harassed him. As an SGF, Anyim descended on poor old Elechi. Once Governor Umahi left the PDP for APC, Anyim started lording it over poor helpless PDP members. Anyim is a rat that becomes the King once the mouse leaves the house.
“Anyim’s native Ishiagu in Ebonyi is not at peace. Why? His role has remained divisive. Same in Ebonyi. In Ishiagu, he is either grabbing their land or doing petty things against ordinary people. The man who seeks to be President does not have love either for himself or anyone else.
“As SGF, what did Anyim do for Ndigbo? Between a particular Church and Ndigbo who benefitted from the office. It was a glorious period for Ndigbo under Jonathan’s Presidency. How did Anyim as SGF organise Ndigbo? The southeast had key ministerial appointments but Anyim was not a rallying point for them. He was rather chasing contracts through fronts. We will come to that.
“How does Anyim wish to be President when he has a backlog of unsettled corruption cases. He has gone on detention twice over allegations of corruption. Has he sorted them out? What about Centenary City scandals? What about other accusations for which he has been detained, made to refund money to EFCC or investigated? Anyim’s declaration for President is hasty. He jumped on it after his last detention by the EFCC.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government and indeed all antigraft agencies to rise to the occasion and discharge their responsibilities. Anyim and his likes must not be above the law. In China and Japan, he would be so shameful to announce a bid for the presidency.”
