Senator Anyim denies opposing Peter Obi’s VP candidacy in 2019
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Former Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, has denied opposing the choice of Mr Peter Obi as the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) candidate in 2019.
H also denied discussing the choice of Obi as the Vice Presidential candidate of the with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.
Mr Anyim, in a statement he issued on Friday, said Mr Wike was wrong to have named him among those who had issues with the process of Obi’s selection.
He was reacting to a recent statement by Wike, as reported in the media, wherein the Rivers Governor alleged that Mr Anyim and a few other South East Leaders fought him over Obi’s emergence.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement by Gov. Wike during his media chat of 22nd of March, 2023. In a response to a claim that he came after Gov. Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election, Gov. Wike recounted how he made it possible for Gov. Peter Obi to be PDP Vice Presidential candidate in 2019 and that Gov. Peter Obi was not appreciative.
“In Gov. Wike’s words: “I was fought by people like Ike Ekweremadu, Gov. Dave Umahi and Pius Anyim”, Mr Anyim said.
Continuing Mr Anyim said he would have ignored the mis-speak by Gov. Wike, hoping that the Pius Anyim referred to is not himself.
“But reading it on Page 26 of Daily Sun of today 23 March 2023, confirms to me that I may be the one referred to, hence the need to put the records straight”, he said.
The former SGF noted that the PDP presidential primaries of 2019 held in Port-Harcourt and he did not attend.
“That after Gov. Peter Obi’s nomination as running mate raised some dust in the South East, PDP Governors and Party leaders from the South East met on the matter in Sen. Ekweremadu’s home in Enugu. I was not at that meeting”
“Thereafter, the Presidential Candidate, H/E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, held a town hall meeting with PDP leaders from the South East at Nike Lake hotel Enugu. I did not also attend that meeting”
Mr Anyim, therefore, stated that he did not at any time discuss or shared any view with Mr Wike on any candidate in 2019
“I did not know how Gov. Peter Obi emerged as PDP Vice Presidential Candidate and I never cared to ask but maintained a stand that the reaction that followed his nomination would also have happened to any other person from the South East.
“Gov. Wike may need to confirm from Gov. Peter that from the beginning to the end of 2019 elections, he enjoyed my encouragement and goodwill.
“The purpose of this clarification is to keep the records straight and to reconfirm to Gov. Wike that he is making a mistake if the Pius Anyim he referred to is my humble self”, he said.
