Anyim To Ayu: I Couldn’t Have Supported Your Imposed Ebonyi Guber Candidate

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, has accused the National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of being responsible for the poor performance of the party in the just concluded presidential, National Assembly and governorship election in Ebonyi State and other parts of the country.

He alleged that the NWC of the party imposed a governorship candidate of the party in Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Odii against the power rotation formula in the state which he said was why PDP lost the state.

Anyim, who was also the former Senate President of the country, said he warned Iyorchia Ayu the National Chairman of the party against the imposition but that he didn’t heed his warning.

Anyim was reacting to the suspension slammed on by the NWC of the PDP.

He noted that he couldn’t have supported the person the NWC imposed on the party in Ebonyi for the governorship race.

He lashed out at the National Working Committee saying they should rather hide their faces in shame for leading the party to abysmal failure in the 2023 general elections than look for ‘soft targets’ to suspend.

The former President of the Senate was suspended by the NWC of the PDP, on Thursday, over alleged anti-party activities.

“He said “the action of the NWC is, to say the least, disappointing. I thought the concern of the NWC now would be how to undertake a thorough self-examination on why they performed so poorly in the 2023 general elections rather than seek to further divide the party by shifting blames.

“It smacks of arrogance for the NWC to put up a bold face instead of showing remorse and being sober for leading the party to such a collosal loss in the 2023 general elections, thereby dashing the hopes and expectations of party members and indeed Nigerians.

“It is clear that arising from the leadership style of the NWC, many members, intentionally and proudly, worked against the party, including members of the NWC. Therefore, it is a display of innate cowardice for the NWC to choose soft targets to suspend and fear those who daily demonise the party.

“It is difficult to explain why the NWC is in a hurry to suspend leaders of the party without recourse to a fair hearing, without which their action is null and void.

“In the case of Ebonyi State, the NWC imposed a candidate from the sitting Governor’s zone, contrary to the zoning formula of the state. Every effort to let the NWC see reasons fell on deaf ears. On the day the party’s presidential rally was held in Ebonyi State, I told Dr Ayu I was boycotting the rally because I cannot support the candidate they imposed on Ebonyi State. Dr Ayu did nothing. He did not care even though I did not attend the Ebonyi rally.

“The NWC may wish to know that I am proud to have supported the APC Gubernatorial candidate to win the election because that conforms to the equitable formula In Ebonyi State. It is therefore my expectation that the NWC should reverse itself in the interest of the party.”