Tinubu Receives Anyim, Ex-SGF Seeks Efforts by All to Tackle Nation’s Challenges

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, received former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, who recently defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

Anyim was ushered into the meeting with Tinubu at State House, Abuja, by Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting with the president, Uzodinma described Anyim as a big fish and his defection a big plus for the ruling party, as the party was already ripping the benefit of his decampment.

He stated that the coming of people like the former senate president into the ruling APC, especially in the South-east, which used to be a stronghold of the opposition PDP, was an indication that the APC government was doing well.

Uzodimma said, “We have started harvesting from it. If you recall, only a few days ago, there was 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 Progressives Congress.

“The party that used to be the strong opposition party, PDP, were not anywhere to be seen. And majority of the leaders already defected to APC and they voted one way.

“So in the same manner, because democracy is 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 remaining is to address the campaign of calumny, arising from the propaganda of the opposition, which most of us here are used to”.

Nwifuru said Anyim was not a small fry and was not looking for food.

Asked how he felt following suggestions that his state was turning into a one-party state and if it was okay for democracy, Nwifuru said, “You asked how I feel, I’m very excited, and it’s a thing of joy to me that every big fish in my state, especially that of our nation, Ayim Pius Anyim, and so many other distinguished leaders have decided to join our party, the All Progressive Congress.

“And it is part of the benefit, the dividends of democracy. We’ve been able to do well according to our own understanding and based on our own best judgment. And that is what is engineering a lot of them to join APC.”

Anyim, while explaining his basis for leaving PDP for the ruling party, said given the challenges the country was facing, there was need for all hands to be on deck.

He admitted that the country was passing through turbulent times and it was the duty of all patriots, to ensure that the country continued to have a peaceful atmosphere.

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.”