John Shiklam in Kaduna
Former Senate President, and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anyim Pius Anyim, has promised that he will make Nigeria a secure, prosperous and great country if elected president in 2023.
Addressing PDP delegates yesterday in Kaduna, Anyim said the challenge before Nigerians is to get a leadership that knows the problems of the country and how to solve the problems.
The former Senate president, who described himself as a nation builder and a nationalist, said the foundation of the Nigerian nation can only be strengthened by somebody like him.
He said having served as a Senate president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), he had acquired the experience and the capacity to provide the leadership that Nigerians are yearning for.
He said if elected president, his focus would be on the economy and job creation, stressing that when the economy works well, the challenges of insecurity would be addressed.
The former SGF said: “In the last 33 years of my life, I have been in the government by the grace of God.
“I have served as a senator, and I have also served as president of the Senate.
“I became Senate resident at the time that Senate was in crisis. and when I came in, I reunited everybody and the crisis was resolved.
“I want to say that the situation we are in Nigeria today requires a consensus builder like me to bring all shades of opinions together and address everybody’s need…and bring unity back to Nigeria.”
Anyim said Nigeria is not just in an election season, “we are about to recruit a leader who will lead Nigeria out of these problems to growth, security and prosperity.
“Today we talk of unemployment, insecurity, and hunger. I remember as a secondary school boy in the 1980s, I was in Kaduna because a brother of mind was working in the textile industry in Kaduna, and in the morning, if you came along the railway in Kakuri and see thousands of people going to work in the textile companies, you will beat your chest and say this is Nigeria of our dream.
“It is unfortunate that the textile industry is now dead. That is the major reason of insecurity around here.”
Anyim said he would revive the textile industries if elected president
“We have no other country and what we are looking for at a time like this is a man who will reunite us as our brother’s keeper, and that is the leadership I am offering.
“Today in Nigeria, many people would talk about insecurity and single out the economy, but I can tell you that the problems are many as one leads to the other.
“If you ask me, the challenge before us now is to get a leader who knows the problems and how to solve fix the problems.
“I want to say that the situation we are in Nigeria today requires a consensus builder like me to bring all shades of opinions together and address everybody’s need…and bring unity back to Nigeria.”
In his remarks, a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said Anyim, like other aspirants, is eminently qualified to be elected president of the country.
He said the problems of Nigerians are so enormous that it requires people like Anyim, who he noted would work day and night to solve them.
“I know when you were the SGF, and I don’t know if you used to sleep. “You are always up and about bring the engine room of the PDP administration together.
“It is just that it is democracy and people have to make a choice, otherwise in all criteria you are eminently qualified. But of course PDP has qualified people going round to canvass for votes.
“I assure you that even before you came here, we know the level of support you have among quite a number of our delegates.
“Even before now, you and I do meet one on one, and we will continue to meet one on one,” Makarfi said.
