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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday received former Senate President Pius Anyim, who recently decamped from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressive Congress (APC).
He was led to the Presidential Villa by Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma, who chairs the Southeast Governors Forum and Progressive Governors Forum, and Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru.
On why he has to decamped, Anyim said giving the challenges the country is facing, there’s need for all hands to be on deck. He admitted that the country was passing through turbulent times and it was the duty of all patriots, if he or she has nothing to add to ensure that the country continues to have a peaceful atmosphere.
On why he was leaving PDP, Anyim said: “Can you look back at the history of PDP and tell me how many leaders PDP has produced that had joined APC or another party at any particular point in time, it’s common. But importantly, I have a determination to be sure that the country moves on the right path and I should be available to contribute my quota.”
Asked if he couldn’t have contributed his quota from the opposition party, Anyim said: “Contributing quota does not necessarily mean to work, but to engender a conducive atmosphere for progress. I’m not looking for work, but there is need that given the challenges the country is facing today that we all need to put all the hands on deck to make the country move forward.”
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On his interests in APC, the former President of the Senate said: “Certainly, the country is passing through turbulent times and it is the duty of every patriot, if you have nothing to add, ensure that you contribute to the peaceful atmosphere that will engender progress in the country.”
Uzodinma described Anyim as a big fish and his decampment a big plus for the ruling party and that the party was already ripping the benefit of his decampment.
He said: “We have started harvesting from it. If you recall, only few days ago, there was local government election in Ebonyi state. And in that election, it was like a one party movement. The entire local governments and councils were won by all progressive Congress. The party that used to be the strong opposition party, PDP, were not anywhere to be seen. And majority of the leaders already decamp to APC and they voted one way.
“So in the same manner, because democracies is about the people, when the people are now unanimously agreeing that government is doing well, and a political party is doing well, and they’re all collapsing into that political party, what is the remaining is to address the campaign of calumny, arising from the propaganda of the opposition, which most of us here are used to.”
Asked the reason for their visit, the Imo governor said: “We are here to first thank the President for all the support that’s given to the people of South East and as the leader of our party of All progressive Congress, to formally inform him that the former Senate President, Ayim Pius Ayim distinguished senator standing by me, has family joined all progressive Congress and is now part of the bigger political family in the country. And we are excited about it as a zone.
“We’re also excited about it as a nation. And the President being the leader of the party is also excited about it. He knows his pedigree. He knows his capacity. He knows that once he believes in a cause, he goes through all out for it.
“So I think its a very big plus, politically speaking to our party, to the government of the country under the leadership of President Bala
