A former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, on Saturday declared his interest to run for the office of the presidency in 2023.
He said he would run for the position whether the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoned it to the South-East or not.
He made his aspiration known during an interview with newsmen at Eagle Square Abuja, noting that the opposition party is being repositioned.
Anyim was the Senate President between 2000-2003 and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He expressed optimism that the PDP’s national convention would signal the commencement of its political activities.
He said, “Posters of my presidential bid and agitations by groups for me to contest flooded the social media in 2020 and I disassociated myself from such calls.
“I felt that it was too early for such a declaration, to enable the present administration to concentrate on governance.
“Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I chose to be quiet over the issue.
“We currently have less than 18 months to the next elections, and I feel the time is ripe to indicate my interest.”
Noting that the zoning committee instituted by the party was meant to zone party positions and not other positions, Anyim said:
“Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops anyone from South-East Zone from contesting the presidency even if it is not zoned to it.
“The most important thing is that the party’s national convention is a sort of rebirth for a group of people who have recovered from a setback.
“The party members are focused and determined.”
The former Senate president said the PDP, despite its seeming conflict with its former Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, remained a friend to many members.
Anyim said Secondus “is particularly my friend and we do not have any problem with him. The issue is that the party needed to move but be assured that he is not going into the wilderness.”