Presidency: Anyim, Bala Mohammed, Tambuwal pick forms as  supporters storm PDP Wadata House

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

 

The national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was Thursday besieged by the supporters of prominent leaders and presidential aspirants to purchase nomination forms for the party’s flag bearers in the forthcoming general election.

 

The aspirants include formerSenate President Anyim Pius Anyim, Bauchi State governor Senator Bala Mohammed and his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal.

 

A coalition of about 350 groups who purchased the nomination forms for Senator Anyim said they took the action because of their unshaken confidence in his ability to govern the country.

 

Addressing journalists after picking the forms, Comrade Mayor Samuel, who read a statement on their behalf, said the recent experiences of Nigerians in the hands of the present government have shaken their belief in the country, saying that it would require an individual of the competence of the former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) to restore citizens’ faith in the country.

 

The Coalition maintained that Anyim understands the peculiarity of the Nigerian system and has the capacity to provide solutions to the problems, asking for Nigerians’ support to enable him to lead the country.

 

He said: “On behalf of the members of the over 350 support group and partners scattered all over the world, who are driving the Greater Nigeria 2023 Project for Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim’s Presidential Campaign. I am immensely delighted to address you on our mission to the National Secretariate of the Peoples Democratic Party today.

 

“We are here to obtain the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the PDP presidential primary election for Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON.

 

“We did not obtain the forms on behalf of Sen. Anyim, we purchased the forms for Sen. Anyim to demonstrate our unshaken confidence in his capacity and suitability to lead Nigeria at this point in our history.

 

“Sen. Anyim understands Nigeria, the peculiar challenges we are presently facing and has the capacity to find solutions to those challenges.

 

“We are glad that he has offered to lead the charge to rebuild, reunite and reposition Nigeria. We therefore call on all Nigerians of goodwill to rise to the challenge and join hands together to ensure that Sen. Anyim wins the presidential primary of the PDP and ultimately becomes the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the 29th of May, 2023 by the special grace of God.”

 

Similarly, the Bauchi State Governor’s lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, Thursday, played host to the Bala Mohammed Vanguard, BMV, a political pressure group, which earlier in the day, purchased the N40m Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the governor.

 

The BMV group, dressed in T-shirts and face caps bearing the image of Governor Mohammed, besieged the gallery, urging the former Federal Capital Territory to accept the challenge of rescuing Nigeria from what they called the grip of leadership deficit.

 

In a brief address before the presentation of the forms, Director General of BMV, Mohammed Jibo narrated how the group had been on the trail of the governor to join the PDP Presidential race, saying, “In January last year, the group met you (Gov. Bala Mohammed) in Bauchi to let you know that Nigerians needed you. We told you we wanted you to contest for the Office of President but you told us you were consulting.

 

“Today, we have bought the forms for you and we are here to present the gift to you. By the grace of God, you will emerge victorious because you are the President Nigerians need.”

 

Also speaking, Charity Anthony, Women leader of the group, extolled the leadership qualities of Senator Bala Mohammed which made the group picked him from the pack of 2023 Presidential aspirants.

 

“Today, BMV has honoured you because we see you as a leader with passion for humanity. We consulted widely and we found out that you are the potential this country needs. You are destined to rule this country. We will vote and defend our votes and our leaders are ready to work for you.”

 

Responding, a near teary Bala Mohammed described the day moment as “auspicious.”

 

He said, “On my own, I may not have come out but what BMV has done for me today has given me the impetuous to offer myself to serve.

 

“If given the opportunity, I will not let you down. I am not going to be a President of a zone, I will be the President of Nigeria. Nigeria has the resources and with the right leadership, we can become an important member of the global community.

 

“The leader we need is one who does not believe in winner takes all but someone who believes in ‘live, let live.” We are ready for business, we are ready to work.

 

“With this energy and impetuous, I have accepted these forms. They will be filled with the required information and I will do my best to start this journey.”

 

The event was attended by renowned academic, Professor Udenta Udenta and former Director General of the Nigeria Orientation Agency, NOA, Mike Omeri among others.

 

Also a group by the name Concerned Nigerians for Tambuwal coordinated by Olumuyiwa Akinboro SAN who also bought the nomination form for the Sokoto state governor said they are hardworking and young  professionals wanting to get things better in this country.

 

Akinboro speaking on behalf of the Senior legal practitioners said, “Nobody wants to live in the country again. You traindoctors in this country and the  next thing is takes the flights abroad.

 

“We are experiencing very terrible power shortage and this has been of concern to us and we have been analyzing among.

 

“And we have been going through this analyzing things, looking at each and every one or every one of these people coming up. The only person that is interesting to us, we find interesting is Tambuwal. He is strong, he is agile, he is intelligence he is focused. We have seen him demonstrate good leadership. One of the major things you see in leadership is humility. Somebody that sees himself even lower than the people he leads.

 

“He is young and vibrant and can take us to the promised land and PDP is the platform that can actually actualize this if we get to do things right.

 

“Nigerians needs him at this time. We are not lacking in strong leaders, we are lacking in people that understand the politics of Nigeria.”

 

On the issue of zoning, the legal luminary said, “The most important thing is that we want somebody who we see as a leader who can speak to the youth, who will be ready to listen, who can communicate and win this election that we’re going into. Nigerians both old and young people are ready to work for him. We are going to go to every nook and cranny of this country. We are going to talk to everybody. We are going to take the battle to ourselves. We are going to change the narratives. Things are changing and we will change with it.

 

“We want somebody that we can identify with somebody, that can understand the problem. Every young person that you see today want to go abroad. Why can’t Nigeria be a place where people want to come to.  All the international companies are leaving in droves. Everything is collapsing. Are we going to continue like this?

 

“In Nigeria, you get your own route, you dig your own borehole, you provide your own generator, you have your security. So that is why we are ready to commit ourselves, our time, our energy, our resources to make sure that it is achieved by winning this election. It is not going to be determined by moneybags by the grace of God is going to be determined by all the people of Nigeria and we are coming out in our in our large numbers, to sensitize ourselves and make sure that change takes place in this country.”