‘Zoning, a fundamental principle of PDP should not be jettisoned,’ Anyim urges stakeholders

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and aspirant for the 2023 Prsidential election s under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Anyim Pius Anyim, Wednesday, appealed to party stakeholders not to jettison the zoning arrangement, as according to him, it is a ‘fundamental principle’ of party.

This is also as the Ebonyi State party chieftain told Nigerians to recall him from office in one year if he fails to perform upon election as President of the country, come 2023.

Anyim, also a former senate president, made these submissions while making a presentation to the party’s National Working Committee (NEC) after submitting his nomination form to contest for president.

According to him, his vision is to build a Nigeria everyone will be proud of as he has the experience to make it happen having served as a senate president and as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“The only request I am placing on the table today is that if you give me the ticket of PDP to fly the flag of this party for the general election of 2023,I will go ahead to win the election.

“I will return to government as president of Nigeria and if I run this country for one year, and you don’t see the difference between light and darkness, you can recall me.

“From the vantage positions I have held, I understand the challenges confronting our nation today and I have clarity of what the solutions could be.

“The purpose of my being here today is to present to you my informed pathway to rebuilding and refocusing our country on the part of growth, peace and prosperity.

“I shall outline my understanding of the problems and my evidence-informed pathway to resolving them under three broad categorizations of political, economic and social integration.”

Anyim said that politically, his administration would consider consensus on the structure of Nigeria, governance system and National ideals or aspiration.

This, he said was because the absence of consensus on these areas accounted for the disunity and mutual suspicion that was threatening the nation presently.

He said that as part of our political consolidation process, a platform would be provided for broad-based consultations and frank dialogue on a generally acceptable new foundation for Nigeria.

Anyim said that machinery would be put in place to harvest the views and secure the buy-in of all components of the polity and build consensus on the structure of the federation.

He said it would also include an acceptable governance system and benchmark agreed national aspiration to which all shall commit as consensus building would be the hallmark of his administration.

Anyim said that visionary leadership style would be deployed to respond to the aspirations of people, thereby, ensuring unity of purpose, patriotism inspired and commitment to building the dream Nigeria.

He said that industralisation would be encouraged to drastically reduce importation, improve local production and strengthen the naira among others.

Anyim promised to promote Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and review Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIPR) to make it fit for purpose and ensure it aligns with our growth ambition.

He added that talent and innovations would be the flagship of the knowledge-based component of the economic agenda by targeting to unleash the creativity of the young population.

Anyim said that Nigeria’s mode and factors of production would be repositioned through science and technology to fit into the fourth industrial revolution in all sectors.

He said that presently, the nation was under security and separationist challenges but his government would evolve national integration policies by running inclusive governance that reflected the Federal Character.

The aspirant said he would promote equality of all citizens before the law and protect the independence of the judiciary, adding that strong institutions would be built to promote and protect the sanctity of lives.

He said that women, youth and Diaspora Nigerians would be adequately mainstreamed into the national development.

According to him, discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, and religion will be eliminated and citizens will play active roles in policy formulation while upholding the rule of law.

Anyim said that he would abide by the decision of the party on zoning.

According to him, democracy thrives on three certainties which are certainty of tenure, certainty of structure and certainty of process.

“At any time any of these ‘certainties’ is no longer guaranteed, democracy will corrupt justice and enthrone inequity.

“Accordingly, my appeal is that zoning being a fundamental principle of our party should not be jettisoned.

“Democracy, being a system of rules and order, depends on strong institutions for its sustenance and success. When a system can no longer defend its rules, it will enthrone the reign of might as against the rule of law.

`My appeal is that PDP should defend Section 7 (3) (c) of its constitution,” he said.

In his remarks, the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, said that as at Wednesday afternoon, 17 aspirants comprising 16 males and one female had obtained PDP nomination and expression of interest forms.

Ayu said that this showed the strength and popularity of the PDP as well as its acceptance among Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He assured all the aspirants that the NWC would be transparent and neutral as an umpire, adding that the decision of who would emerge as flag bearer would be determined by ordinary members of the party.

Ayu enjoined all aspirants to work together for PDP to emerge victorious in 2023.

He expressed confidence in the capacity of Ayim to lead Nigeria haven worked as a civil servant, senator, senate president and later Secretary to the Government of the Federation, adding that the party was lucky to have him.