Tony Anenih, ‘Mr Fix it,’ dies at 85

Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is dead at age 85.

The Iyasele of Esanland, popularly regarded as “Mr Fix it,” in political circles in reference to his ability to initiate successful strategic political moves, succumbed to his illness at the Cedar Crest Hospital, Abuja on Sunday.

Family friends and political associates flocked his Abuja residence at Sunrise Hills, Asokoro, Abuja to commiserate with his family as soon as the news of his death filtered out.

The late Chief Anenih was born on August 4, 1933 in Uzenema-Arue in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government of Edo state.

He obtained secondary school qualifications working from home.

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In 1951 he joined the Nigeria police force in Benin City.

He attended the police college in Ikeja, and was selected for further training in the Bramshill Police College, Basingstoke, England in 1966 and the International Police Academy, Washington DC in 1970.

Anenih served as a police orderly to the first Governor General of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

He worked as an instructor in various police colleges, and in 1975 was assigned to the Administrative Staff College (ASCON), Lagos. He retired from the police as a Commissioner of police.

He was State Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) between 1981 and 1983, helping Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia become elected as civilian Governor of Bendel State.

However, the governorship was cut short by the military takeover of December 1983.

He was National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from 1992 and 1993, when he assisted in the election Chief M. K. O. Abiola as president.

He was a member of the Constitutional Conference in 1994.

Similarly, Anenih was a member of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) until early April 2002, when he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

He was said to have played a pivotal role in the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo as the presidential candidate of the PDP In 1999 and national coordinator of his campaign organization in 1999 and 2003.

Chief Anenih announced his disengagement from active politics in November 2016 during the presentation of his autobiography, “My Life and Nigerian Politics.”

He said at the time: “I am persuaded that I have no more ambition nor any point to prove in politics.

“I am, therefore, glad to declare that, from today, I shall be withdrawing from active partisan politics.

“I shall, however, continue to avail the country of my experience, give suggestions and offer advice, as a statesman.”