Pius Anyim replies Gov. Wike, says ‘I never opposed Obi’s emergence as Atiku’s running mate in 2019’
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, has denounced claims Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State that he (Anyim) as opposed to the emergence of a former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, as running mate to the 2019 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Anyim, a former Senate President, did not take part in the 2019 race but was one of the presidential aspirants of the PDP in 2022.
Obi, who was also an aspirant, would later leave the party to become the standard bearer of Labour Party LP.
In a personally signed statement made available to Newsmen yesterday, Anyim said it was necessary to put the records straight.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to a statement by Governor Wike during his media chat of March 22, 2023.
“In a response to a claim that he came after Governor 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 Governor Peter Obi was not appreciative.
“In Gov. Wike’s words ‘I was fought by people like Ike Ekweremadu, Gov. Dave Umahi and Pius Anyim.
“I would have ignored this misspeak by Gov. Wike, hoping that the Pius Anyim referred to is not myself. 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.
“It is my wish for Gov. Wike to refresh his memory, re-collect and re-confirm the following: That the PDP presidential primaries of 2019 held in Port-Harcourt and I did not attend.
“That after Governor 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, 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.
“I want to state clearly, for Gov. Wike’s recollection, that I did not and never shared any view with him on any candidate in 2019; neither his own candidate, who then was Gov. Aminu Tambuwal nor H/E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who won the primaries, let alone Governor Peter Obi.
“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 mistaken if the Pius Anyim he referred to is my humble self. This is for the records please.”
