Suspension: No Regret Backing APC In Ebonyi, Says Anyim Pius

Senator Anyim Pius, a former secretary to the government of the federation, has criticized the People’s Democratic Party’s National Working Committee for removing him from the party. He added that he had no regrets about backing the APC to win the governorship election in his native state of Ebonyi.

Anyim, a contender for the party’s presidential ticket in 2022, suggested that the leadership should cover their faces in shame rather than continue to lead the party to defeat in important elections. He added that the action had been rendered null because the party had not given the suspended members a fair hearing before doing so.

The PDP National Working Committee on Thursday suspended the former Senate President for alleged anti-party conduct. But, he underlined in a statement on Friday that rather than further fracturing the party, the NWC should focus on how to advance it.

The statement partly read, “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 general elections rather than seek to further divide the party by shifting blame.

“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 colossal loss in the 2023 general elections, thereby dashing the hopes and expectations of party members and indeed Nigerians.”

A few NWC members were also accused by Mr Ayim of working against the party during the election.

He stated, “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 fair hearing, without which their action is null and void.”

Speaking on the governor’s race in Ebonyi, he said, “In the case of Ebonyi State, the NWC imposed a candidate from the zone of the outgoing governor, contrary to the state’s zoning system. Every attempt to get the NWC to understand the reasons failed.

“On the day the party’s presidential rally was held in Ebonyi State, I told Dr. (Iyorchia) 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 as I did not attend the Ebonyi rally. The NWC may wish to know that I am proud to have supported the APC governorship candidate to win the election because that conforms with the equitable formula in Ebonyi State. It is therefore my expectation that the NWC should reverse itself in the interest of the party.”