You’re fit for higher political office as former SGF, Buhari tells Anyim

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday gave his nod to the aspiration of former Senate president, Ayim Pius Ayim, to gun for the top job in the country, telling him that as someone who had been Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), he is capable of occupying any higher political office.

He made the observation at an event to mark the 61st birthday of the former SGF at the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC).

Ayim is currently on a nationwide consultation with members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other leaders over his ambition to clinch the main opposition party’s presidential ticket for next year’s election.

Represented by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, the president also lauded Ayim’s humble qualities and his insistence on a one year term for political officer holders.

The president revealed that he has personal relationship with Ayim and noted that “he consistently displayed uncommon and discerning humility,” which he said Ayim showed when the Ebonyi state-born politician was senate president.

The president added that after a period that witnessed quick impeachment of two senate presidents, Ayim’s maturity and courage ushered in an era of stability in the red chamber.

Buhari said: “Senator Pius Anyim is a patriotic Nigerian who always puts his nation first and he is one of stabilizing voices we have today in the politics of our country. This he has demonstrated in a number of times, but the one that stands out and still echoes  with me was his insistence that elected officers should always stay a single term and he kept to his word by not seeking for re-election to the Senate, after the expiration of his first term as Senator and Senate President in 2003. 

“That many Nigerians cutting across various political divides are gathered here today to celebrate you is a glowing testimony of your contributions to the growth of our nation and its political development.”

According to the president, the experiences garnered over the years by the former Senate president place him at a vantage position to seek higher political calling. 

While delivering President Buhari’s message, the representative of the president also added: “Let me say on a personal note, as the current and 19th SGF that I have drawn a lot from the wealth of wisdom that has been the source of strength and the endowment that Senator Anyim has brought to the fore of governance in this country. 

“We don’t often meet but whenever we meet, we share knowledge about the responsibilities of the office and the enormity of the act of balancing contending forces and interests, that is always vested on any occupant of that office. 

“And I want to thank you (Anyim), for the wealth of experience and the depth of knowledge that we have. I made bold to say whoever  had occupied the Office of the Secretary to the government for four years In an evolving democracy like Nigeria, with diverse contentious issues, is capable and able to occupy any office.”

Also speaking as chairman of the occasion, former President Goodluck Jonathan described Anyim as a unique leader who never allowed the trappings of office to get into his head.

The immediate past president observed that the caliber of people gathered at the venue to honour Ayim was an indication of the trust Nigerians reposed in him years after leaving the office as SGF.

Jonathan said: “Some people are very busy and in most Saturdays,  some people don’t like to wake up early. For you to have gathered  these numbers as early as this time today means a lot.

“We thank God for you today, your wife, your children, all your friends, with all of us here your friends, otherwise, we wouldn’t have been here to celebrate you today.  

“You were the Senate President when I was the governor of Bayelsa state and I remembered you visited me in the house one day and of course, by divine providence,  you became the engine of my government as my Secretary to government of the Federation.

“The first day I became President, Anyim Pius Anyim wanted to be chairman of PDP and he came to me with a lot of dreams and we spoke. I may not bother you with details but he was never the chairman of PDP.

“When he became the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, he did not even come to me with a biscuit but we found him worthy as a Nigerian that  had experience in managing systems, managing issues and also somebody who had friends across the country and when we were looking at the person we wanted to be the Secretary to the Government, of course, we wanted somebody from the South-East because PDP then normally made sure that every geo-political zone had one key office. Now,  we don’t have enough people, so we don’t have that.

“Up to the time I was the President, something somehow happened in a way that we never expected. The PDP philosophy then was that the President will come from one geo-political zone, the Vice President from one geo-political zone, Secretary to Government from one-geo political zone, the Chairman of the party from one geo-political, the Senate President from one geo-political zone and the Speaker from one geo-political zone but that was when PDP had a lot of spread across the country.

“Now it is difficult to package that because even the All Progressives Congress,  APC don’t have that kind of spread. So, it is difficult to get that package. That was very unique and it was a good way of accommodating every sections of the country.

“And so we zoned the Secretary to the Government to the South-East. We looked at our brothers and sisters, the characters, and they were very nice people. They had many competent people but let me say that  it’s like a lot it fell on Anyim Pius Anyim and we made him the Secretary to the Government. And I don’t regret committing him. He is a very hard working young man, committed to serving this nation and I believe if he has the opportunity to serve more,  he can do better.”

Jonathan continued: “Today, we are celebrating a young man but you are getting old now. At  61 years, you are no longer very young but you are willing to serve and as somebody who has served at the parliament as a Senate President, at the executive level as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, it is quite tasking.

“Having served in that position (SGF) for the period, I know he is fully baked and I didn’t receive too many complaints.  You know as a President, everday you receive complaints from those who work for you- the ministers, your aides, advisers, assistants and so on. I didn’t receive too many complains about Anyim Pius Anyim.”

Also speaking, former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, pointed out that as senate president, Ayim served the nation with uncommon patriotism, sacrifice, decorum and high sense of respect.

He said Ayim understood the diversity of the country that is its strength and demonstrated the qualities of a team player.

“With these instances, I have no doubt in my mind that he can be trusted with higher political responsibility,” Sambo declared.

In his remark, Ayim praised President Buhari as “indeed the father of the nation” by showing his presence at the event. 

He promised to commit the rest of his life to the pursuit of peace and progress in the country, saying: “Nigeria must rise again. We must live in peace and safety of lives and property.” 

Ayim urged all citizens to be committed to building peace irrespective of tribe, religion or party affiliation.