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Nigeria: 'Why Anyim's South-East Consensus Candidate'
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This Day (Lagos)
25 November 2007
Posted to the web 26 November 2007
Olawale Olaleye
Lagos
In spite of the fact that the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been postponed indefinitehly, an association of South-east Civil Groups has reiterated its support for the candidacy of former senate president, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim premising their reason on Anyim's democratic tendency and his stand for the rule of law.
The civil groups which came up with this position at a meeting held recently in Owerri, Imo State said they have resolved to jettison the era of candidate imposition and ensure a democratically elected national chairman of the part y since the future of the country has a direct link with the ruling party.
Leader of the group, Ben Onyechere who made the position of the group comprehensible noted that since the formation of the party in 1998, there was hardly a genuine election that had produced any of the national chairmen, adding that they had always emerged through a shoddily managed imposition, a situation he said is accountable for the state of the party today.
According to him; "This is no longer an era of imposition of candidates which prevailed during the reign of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The popular and credible choice is Senator Anyim Pius Anyim who today, ranks amongst one of the promising leaders in the South-east geo-political zone.
"Anyim was chosen because he is a pro-democracy individual and a man of his words who is independent of his opinion. We make haste to say that if a contrary choice is made at the national convention, then it is therefore not representative of the generality of Igbo", Onyechere noted.
Onyechere held that he and the others in the forefront of the clamour for Anyim were not oblivious of plans by some elements in the system to impose a particular candidate on the South-east, but warned that any such development could degenerate into a serious crisis in the bid to rebuilding the nation.
He said "if truly, it is a slot zone to the South-east, then we should be left to manage our slot in ways best possible. We have a responsibility to present the most credible candidate that would not only steer the ship of the party well, but turn out a good ambassador for the country in general. It is a South-east problem and we do not need anybody to get it done for us. We are capable and will not disappoint Nigerians if external forces stay out of this.
"We also know that every well meaning Nigerian is aware of Obasanjo's ploy to impose Egwu in his military style, but it must be resisted by all Nigerians with the love of
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this country at heart. Egwu's role during the failed third term agenda is sheer blackmail to the southeast civil organisations and the Igbos in general and this, to us, is pay back time", he stated.
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