We Need To Heal Wounds, Prosper Our People In Years Ahead—Anyim

Former Senate President and staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anyim Pius Anyim had declared explains why he’s vying for the office of the president on the platform of the party irrespective of where it will select the presidential candidate from. He explains why he’s contesting for the highest office in the land. ROLAND OGBONNAYA writes

This week the youth wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), gave a 30-days ultimatum to every presidential aspirant of south-east extraction in the 2023 general election to declare ambition and open their campaign offices across the zone.

The council expressed regrets over the glaring absence of any presidential campaign office in the region, even as the political party’s primary election is barely 10 months away. They urged all the potential aspirants for the 2023 presidential election from the southeast to act like Zik and demonstrate their preparedness and zeal for the contest ahead, thereby ensuring that their campaign offices are efficiently available and active.

OYC National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka said the council urged aspirants from other zones of the country to consider the survival of Nigeria first beyond 2023 and eschew their personal political interest, stressing that Nigeria’s president of South-east extraction is a considered deal for Nigeria to recuperate from her present state of comatose.

The council further said the likes of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Anyim Pius Anyim, Rochas Okorocha, Kingsley Moghalu, Sam Ohuabunwa, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Orji Uzor Kalu, David Umahi, Ken Nnamani, Emeka Nwajuba, Peter Obi, Captain Casmir Okafor, and others could lead the way without fear like their counterparts in the West and North.

“It’s important at this time Nigeria is like a ship hit by a tornado for persons like Bola Tinubu, Yemi Osibanjo, Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, and Co to give chance in the spirit of Nigeria socio-economic cum political survival, for Southeastern to take the ship and navigate Nigeria to a new hope of political survival before it sinks.

In the meantime, some of the prominent Igbo politicians who have declared their interest in the presidential contest in 2023 so far are Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. Others are perhaps watching the political tide.

Of all these, Anyim’s declaration is the only one that has jolted the country’s political space. This is because Anyim represents the type of president the country needs in 2023–a visionary leader, who is both educated and capable, to harness communication, technology, and the creativity of the youth for the country to fully benefit from the windfall of the world fourth industrial revolution.

For those who have followed his political career, Anyim possesses all the qualities Nigeria needs in a president in 2023. And interestingly the former Senate President and immediate past Secretary to the Government of Federation, under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, know where he’s headed next and the challenges. He wants to be Nigeria’s president in 2023 – and he’s damn serious about this.

Born on February 19, 1961, in Ishiagu, Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State, Anyim studies law at the Imo State University. He was elected into the Nigerian Senate in May 1999 to represent Ebonyi South, went on to lead the 4th Senate in August 2000, after the impeachment of Chuba Okadigbo. Declining to seek reelection in 2003, after having successfully completed his term, Anyim remained active politically until May 2011 when President Jonathan poached him for the office of SGF where he arguably acquitted himself well.

Done with that, Anyim who has been a farmer and practicing lawyer told Saturday INDEPENDENT in Lagos recently that his next port of call is the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His reasons? Number one is that he’s eminently qualified for the position; number two is that “it’s the turn of the southeast,” as the north, southwest and south-south, of course, have all had their turns.

Also sounding almost spiritual, Anyim added: “I believe it’s only God that can make an Igbo man president, and that Igbo man is me.” But of course, this is going to be with the support of all the other geopolitical zones.

He further lamented over the wastage of resources God bestowed on “Nigeria, which was founded on the principle of unity in diversity, but now more divided than ever in our history.

“Around the world, our image has shifted from the giant of Africa to what some say is the poverty capital of the world … We need leadership that will change these challenges to a success story. Such leadership must have vision and capacity, be determined and above all be inclusive.”

Anyim, who was also awarded the 2020 Zik Prize in Leadership penultimate week in Lagos, spoke extensively on his ambition. “These qualities stood Zik and his fellow nationalists out as leaders who rose to the challenges of their time, who fought with all they had, liberated us from the shackles of colonialism, and laid a solid foundation for a nation with every potential to be a strong and respected voice among the comity of nations.

Equally paying tribute to other nationalists such as Herbert Macaulay,  Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Michael Okpara, Anthony Enahoro, Joseph Tarka, Harold Dappa-Biriye, and Aminu Kano, Anyim said “Nigeria now, more than ever before, is in urgent need of men and women who will think, act and live like Zik and his fellow nationalists.”

He commended them for “the huge sacrifices they made to secure for us a free and independent nation. They were guided in their actions by what was best for the citizens of Nigeria. They provided leadership that inspired their followers.

The world is changing, Anyim reiterated, saying Nigeria’s problems are now “monumental and more complex” – therefore, the demand for leadership in present-day Nigeria “has become more daunting.” He cited the Nigerians population that has risen from about 45 million in 1960 to over 200 million in 2020 with most of the population in the youthful bracket.

“Our economy has moved from the boom of the 1960s and 1970s to cycles of stunted growth and recession in the last decade. Our educational institutions have moved from the best rankings in the 1960s to mediocre positions in the 2020s.

“Our Naira has depreciated from 65 kobo to a dollar in the early 1980s to the present N568 to a dollar in 2021. Our labour market has moved from the employment of choice in the 1970s to crises of underemployment and unemployment in the 2020s. In agriculture, we have gone from a net exporter of food and cash crops to a nation of food insecurity and import dependence.

“Nigeria was founded on the principle of unity in diversity, but we are now more divided than ever in our history. Most of us will still remember when we were our brothers’ keeper, but today danger lurks at every corner, nobody is safe anywhere. Around the world, our image has shifted from the giant of Africa to what some say is the poverty capital of the world.

“The leadership approach that will cope with these challenges must be beyond the usual. We need leadership that will change these challenges into a success story. Such leadership must have vision and capacity, be determined and above all be inclusive.”

Anyim warned that the challenges of leadership will be much more daunting as the country moves towards the second quarter of the 21^st Century (2026 – 2050) due to the effects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution popularly known as Industry 4.0. He said it has been described as “the next phase of dramatic technological expansion and social change”.

He quoted Klaus Schwab, founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), who said: “The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge are unlimited.”

Anyim left a strong message for Nigerians: “To me as an individual, I am pleased to lead the charge, so that, together with other good men and women we will lead and reunite Nigeria. We will heal our wounds and prosper our people in the years ahead.”