2023: zoning or not, I will run for Presidency- Says Anyim

Former Senate President, Pius Anyim has declared that he will contest for the office of the President in 2023.

Anyim noted that his ambition would not be tied to zoning of the presidency to the South East by the Peoples Democratic Party.

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He made the declaration on Saturday in an interview with journalists, in Abuja.

Anyim who had also served as Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the tenure of Former President Goodluck Jonathan explained that the party’s national convention would signal the commencement of political activities in the party.

He maintained that it was ample time to indicate interest for the number one site.

According to Anyim, “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 declarations to enable the present administration concentrate on governance.

“Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I choose to be quiet over the issue.

“We presently have less that 18 months to the next elections and I feel the time was ripe to indicate my interest.”

He noted that the zoning committee constituted by the party, was only saddled with zoning party positions and not elective positions ahead of 2023.

“Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops any one from the south east zone from contesting the presidency even if it was not zoned to it.

“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 set back.

“The party members are presently focused and determined to reclaim power with one spirit,” he added.

Anyim said that despite the party’s seeming infraction with its former Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, he remained a friend to several members of the party and Nigerians.

“Secondus is particularly my friend and many other members of the party and Nigerians and we do not have any problem with him, ” he stated.