Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim says he will contest for presidency in 2023 irrespective of whether the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zones the ticket to the South-East.

In an interview with journalists on Saturday, Mr Anyim said, “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 a declaration, 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 currently have less than 18 months to the next elections, and I feel the time is ripe to indicate my interest,” Mr Anyim said.

He said that the zoning committee instituted by the party was only saddled with zoning party positions and not other positions.

“Zoning of such positions was deferred but nothing stops anyone from South-East Zone from contesting the presidency even if it is not zoned to it,” he said.

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation noted that the party’s national convention would signal the commencement of its political activities.

“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,” he added.

Mr Anyim said that in spite of the party’s seeming conflict with its former Chairman Uche Secondus, he remained a friend to many members.

“He is particularly my friend and we do not have any problem with him. The issue is that the party needed to move but be assured that he is not going into wilderness,” Mr Anyim said.

(NAN)