President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday formally welcomed a former senate president Pius Anyim into the fold of the ruling All Progressives Peoples Congress (APC).
Anyim, who was the secretary to the government of the federation under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is expected to boost the weight of stakeholders in the electoral chances of the APC in future elections.
The former SGF was presented to President Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru.
Indications first emerged in March 2023 when the former President of the Senate signaled that his days in the main opposition were over.
He had directed his supporters in his home state, Ebonyi to vote for Nwifuru who was then the gubernatorial candidate of the APC.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the closed-door meeting with President Tinubu, Anyim said that he joined the APC to contribute his quota to the development of the country.
Anyim told reporters that given the challenges the country is facing, there is a need for all hands to be on deck.
The former Senate President admitted that the country was passing through turbulent times and it was the duty of all patriots if he or she has nothing to add to ensure that the country continues to have a peaceful atmosphere.
On why he was leaving the PDP, Anyim said: “Can you look back at the history of PDP and tell me how many leaders PDP has produced that had joined APC or another party at any particular point in time, it’s common. But importantly, I have a determination to be sure that the country moves on the right path and I should be available to contribute my quota.”
Asked if he couldn’t have contributed his quota from the opposition party, Anyim said: “Contributing quota does not necessarily mean to work but to engender a conducive atmosphere for progress. I’m not looking for work, but there is a need that given the challenges the country is facing today we all need to put all the hands on deck to make the country move forward.”
“Certainly, the country is passing through turbulent times and it is the duty of every patriot, if you have nothing to add, ensure that you contribute to the peaceful atmosphere that will engender progress in the country,” he added.
In his remarks, the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma described Anyim as a big fish his decampment a big plus for the ruling party, and that the party was already ripping the benefit of his decampment.
He said: “We have started harvesting from it. If you recall, only a few days ago, there was a local government election in Ebonyi state. And in that election, it was like a one-party movement. The entire local governments and councils were won by all progressive Congress. The party that used to be the strong opposition party, PDP, was not anywhere to be seen. And majority of the leaders already decamped to APC and they voted one way.
“So in the same manner, because democracies are about the people, when the people are now unanimously agreeing that government is doing well, and a political party is doing well, and they’re all collapsing into that political party, what is the remaining is to address the campaign of calumny, arising from the propaganda of the opposition, which most of us here are used to.”
Governor Uzodima explained “We are here to first thank the President for all the support that’s given to the people of South East and as the leader of our party of All Progressive Congress, to formally inform him that the former Senate President, Ayim Pius Ayim distinguished senator standing by me, has family joined all progressive Congress and is now part of the bigger political family in the country. And we are excited about it as a zone.
“We’re also excited about it as a nation.
“And the President being the leader of the party is also excited about it. He knows his pedigree. He knows his capacity. He knows that once he believes in a cause, he goes through all out for it.
“So I think it is a very big plus, politically speaking to our party, to the government of the country under the leadership of President Bala Tinubu, GCFR, and also arising from that we use the opportunity to commend and thank him for signing into law the South East Development Commission, which just assented.
“If you recall, that bill has been there for the past God knows. Attempts to pass that bill three times failed. But Under his watch. He finally assented to the bill, which means listening to cries, and the people of South East, particularly the leadership and the southeast governors forum which I am the Chairman are indeed very grateful.
“We’re very happy with that. It means that the neglect we have been crying for a very long time is being addressed now by the national government. So we owe all this glory to Almighty God, and Mr. President, for being able to do this justice to our people,” Uzodima. noted.