Former Senate President, Chief Pius Anyim, yesterday announced his ambition to run for the presidency in 2023.

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) said he would contest the position whether his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), zone the ticket to the Southeast zone or not.

Anyim made the declaration in Abuja on the sidelines of the ongoing PDP national convention.

He noted that the conclusion of the party’s national convention would signal the commencement of political activities in the party, noting that time had come for him to indicate his interest.

He said that he earlier denied interest in the position in 2020 because he felt that it was not the right time to be talking about politics.

Anyim commended Nigerians from all parts of the country for calling on him to step forward to rescue the nation in 2023.

His words: “Posters of my presidential bid and agitations by groups for me to contest flooded the social media in 2020 and I disassociated myself from such calls. I felt that it was too early for such declarations to enable the present administration concentrate on governance.

“Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I chose to be quiet over the issue. We presently have less that 18 months to the next elections and I feel the time is ripe to indicate my interest.”

He noted that the zoning committee constituted by the party was only saddled with zoning party positions and not elective positions ahead of 2023. Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops any one from the Southeast zone from contesting the presidency even if it was not zoned to it.

“The most important thing is that the party’s national convention is a sort of rebirth for a group of people who have recovered from a setback. The party members are presently focussed and determined to reclaim power with one spirit,” he said.

Source: The Sun