•Anyim notifies federal lawmakers of presidential aspiration
•Tambuwal promises to use modern technology to secure Nigeria
Chuks Okocha
The National Assembly caucus of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the leadership of the party to unite members ahead of an anticipated mass defection from the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), in the aftermath of the ruling party’s national convention on February 26.
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu gave the advice, when the former senate president, Anyim Pius Anyim, formally notified the PDP caucus in the National Assembly of his presidential ambition.
In a related development, Sokoto State Governor, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Aminu Tambuwal, promised to use modern technology to secure Nigeria if elected president next year.
Speaking while receiving Anyim, Elumelu urged the leadership of PDP to do all within their power to ensure a united party, because of the expected mass defection that would follow due to disaffection from the ruling party’s national convention on February 26.
Elumelu, “What we need is unity – a united party. We are in touch with many members of the APC that will join us. We should not be talking about age. We should not be using abusive language. We should be willing to accept other members, who will be joining us.
“All we need is unity. The time is ripe. This is the time of our harvest. The APC is in deep crisis and the February 26 national convention will worsen the crisis. As politicians, those aggrieved will be looking for a better alternative and the PDP is the better alternation.
“I want to thank our presidential hopeful for bringing the light and leading the way by being the first to come and consult with the National Assembly minority caucus. You have set the pace and we understand what this means to the grassroots and for that, I give you kudos.”
He alleged that APC was disjointed, while “PDP has successfully shown that it can lead the way. Today, we have completed our convention and all the congresses were done without acrimony. Of course, you know that APC set out to produce 36 states chairmen and in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but succeeded in electing 92. So, I wonder how they are going to do their convention.
“It behoves us to be more united. The fallout of February 26 will form a new Nigeria, where PDP will be leading the progressives to rescue Nigeria. And for that, I want to plead with our presidential hopefuls to talk to their supporters. We should not abuse ourselves; we should not insult ourselves. At the end of the day, it is the same house that we all belong to. Let all of you go out and canvass for support.”
Earlier, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, commended Anyim for finding it worthy to inform the National Assembly of his presidential intention.
Abribe stated, “If a former member of the legislature goes to the executive arm, that experience has shown that they will do better.
“On behalf of the PDP caucus in the 9th National Assembly, we urge you to go ahead and contest but you should be aware that you would be meeting other aspirants in the field. Usually, the National Assembly is taken for granted but Senator Anyim is now reckoning with us and we appreciate this gesture and we urge him on.
“How can we tell you not to go ahead, being one of our own? On behalf of the joint caucus of the National Assembly, we say go on and take charge. We are with you.”
Anyim, also a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said he would always see the National Assembly as his primary constituency, adding that he would be guided by whatever advice the PDP caucus in the federal parliament gave him in the race for the party’s presidential ticket.
Anyim stated, “Each time I look back at my political history, I vividly remember that my National Assembly experience is still my best. I needed to report myself to my primary constituency. If you are hearing about this journey, I felt this formal outing would make us to explain it better.
“The whole idea is for people to know that we believe in PDP, we are proud of PDP, committed to PDP and our future is tied to PDP. Sometime ago, I took a look at the political environment and said I should on your behalf, seek the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.
“I cannot do it on my own, I cannot do it alone. But if you ask me to stop, I will stop where you ask me to and if you ask me to go ahead, ‘be bold and courageous, that you are with me, whatever the obstacle on the way’, I will go on. When I remember you are with me, I will be bold enough to continue. I have come out to ask you whether we can set out on this journey. If you advise otherwise, I will listen to you attentively. I am a party man. I am here to seek your advice, your guidance and your support as well as your partnership.”
The gathering held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, was attended by Senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, his House of Representatives counterpart, Ndudi Elumelu, lawmaker representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Chukwuka Utazi, ex-Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and former governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, among others.
Meanwhile, Tambuwal, in a statement after a consultative meeting with Kebbi State PDP executives, delegates and other key stakeholders of the party held at the state secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State capital, said he was in the state in continuation of his consultation towards becoming the presidential flag-bearer of PDP.
Tambuwal, a former Speaker, House of Representatives, said, “First of all, it’s about ensuring that Nigeria is re-secured and to do that, we must reorientate our security forces so that they learn and understand the techniques of the current security challenges.
“We will ensure supply of sufficient modern equipment and ensure that security agents are well taken care of in terms of their welfare, recruit more and more personnel and use modern technology to fight banditry, insurgency and other crimes across Nigeria.
“We also intend to create more jobs; we will have no business with poverty in Nigeria, and by creating more jobs, you are in a way addressing the issue of insecurity.
“We also intend to support and boost agriculture that will take care of most of the people by engaging them in one form of agriculture or the other.”
On education, the aspirant observed, “If care is not taken, the country’s education system would collapse.” He said the issue was glaring in the lingering squabble between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government.
Tambuwal said on infrastructure that they intended to do a lot more in terms of providing more of rail services in the country by also supporting the constitutional amendment that will devolve more powers to states, strategising for their involvement in rail system, power and energy.
“This will enable states invest in power generation, transmission and distribution as well as provision of railway and other services and a lot of other things that we will do to reform, reposition and take Nigeria to a greater level.”
On how to foster unity among Nigerians, Tambuwal said records were there to show, when he was the Speaker, House of Representatives, how he was able to ensure unity among house members from different parts of the country.
Earlier, former PDP Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Dr Bello Haliru, commended Tambuwal for accepting to contest for the position of president.
Haliru said, “We are not just happy that you are from Sokoto, and Kebbi is part of Sokoto, but because you actually deserve to do the job. This is because we need somebody who is more credible and who will mend the bond of relationship among Nigerians. We need somebody who is honest, confident, committed and more credible to fix the nation.”
A former governor of Sokoto State and former presidential aspirant, Dr Attahiru Bafarawa, expressed appreciation for the warmth reception accorded the entourage in Kebbi, and appealed for more support, prayer and encouragement to succeed.
Bafarawa said, “Tambuwal was not only a legislator but also a lawyer by profession, meaning that he fits into judiciary and at the same time, today, he is a sitting governor serving his second term.
“This is to tell you that Tambuwal fits into all the three arms of government. Therefore, he is more credible for the presidential ticket. That’s why we are here to take him to where we want him to be, not where he wants to be.”
Welcoming the aspirant and his entourage, Chairman, PDP Kebbi State, Alhaji Usman Bello-Suru, told the delegation that they did not need to beg for votes from Kebbi. Bello-Suru assured them that a block vote from the state was reserved mainly for Tambuwal.
