By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Ebonyi State Chapter, on Monday tackled the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, over his outburst against Governor Dave Umahi.

Anyim, had in an open letter he signed and released to the public, Penultimate Monday, poured invectives on Umahi and accused him of plotting to kill him, among other sensitive issues he raised against the Governor.

But, in a statement titled, “Respect Yourself or face public opprobrium”, signed by the 13 Local Government Council Chairmen of Ebonyi State under the aegis of ALGON and made available to Journalists in Abakaliki, on Monday, said they strongly condemned Anyim’s letter in contents and conception.

The group said Anyim did not have the moral right to fault Governor David Umahi on any issue, as according to them, he (Anyim) failed the people of Ebonyi State and the entire South-East region in all sense of judgment.

The statement reads in part: “Our Association has analysed the litany of insults hurled at the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim in the name of open letter and strongly condemn its contents and conception. We would not have dignified Anyim’s tantrums with a response but for the security implication of his ranting. Ebonyi people have not forgotten the spillage of blood which Senator Anyim’s opposition to Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu’s Administration from the year 2000 caused Ebonyi State.

“His emergence was not a case of political foresight but the case of George Benard Shaw’s Sergius who came first in a horse race simply because he was unable to control his horse as it dashed madly towards the end line and would not have stopped but for the barrier at the finishing line.

“During his misrepresentation of Ebonyi-South Senatorial Zone in the Red Chamber, Anyim found himself made Senate President not because of being politically savvy but because firstly, the Seat was zoned to the South-East by the Peoples Democratic Party, secondly, of the two South-East States that were yet to taste the Seat, Anyim was considered the least threat by the powers that held sway in a region where the alternatives included mavericks like Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe. Thus, his docility became his selling point.

“Surprisingly, Anyim true to his penchant for fighting performing Governments at all levels repaid the favour to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo by spearheading an attempt to impeach and remove the President.

“Being a Senate President is one thing and exploiting the office to the advantage of your people is another. Anyim virtually did nothing, attracted nothing and influenced nothing to the betterment of Ebonyi-South Senatorial Zone, Ebonyi State and the South-East region.

“Anyim should stop laying claim of noble service to Ebonyi State, his life has always been one of disservice to Ebonyi State, disservice to the Nation and disservice to anybody who trusts him with any responsibility requiring mental exertion and political clout.

“In Anyim’s string of puerile outrage, he mentioned that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State has been nursing the idea of defection to the All Progressives Congress for a long time and our question is, “What is wrong with harbouring an idea and defection to the A.P.C?” Is it in contravention to any law known to the Nigerian legal system?

“Being a lawyer, Anyim should know that the freedom to associate with any political party of one’s choice falls within the ambit of guaranteed rights under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Governor Umahi only demonstrated boldness under a circumstance where the pusillanimous Anyim would have cowered.

“The Governor’s action is founded on public good and corporate interest of the Igbos as a nation, time shall vindicate him. Anyim has never hidden his anti-Igbo sentiments and sabotage of the advancement of the region in every possible way. This is the reason why he suspended Senator Arthur Nzeribe indefinitely in 2002, thereby denying Orlu Senatorial district a voice in the Senate and depleted the rank of the titans who championed the Igbo cause in the Senate.

“We observed that Anyim alleged that the signs are there that Governor Dave Umahi was preparing ground to strike and we ask, what are the signs and when had the said signs led to strike in the past? The truth is that Anyim may be preparing to strike as usual and is laying the background for the defence of self-defence.

“The Governor as the Chief Security Officer of Ebo nyi State is in a position to express the security concern he did and Anyim should be sure that he is not going to have a field day in his planned destabilisation of Ebonyi State.

“That is not going to happen under Governor Umahi’s watch, with the present crop of Council Chairmen. We are not fooled, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, will work in synergy to see that Anyim’s evil plot does not come to fruition in any of the Thirteen (13) Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State.

“Anyim in his illusion lied that Governor Dave Umahi is making overtures for him and his co-conspirators to join him in the All Progressives Congress, a careless talk and wishful thinking by a confused man whose longest stay in an elected office is a mere Four (4) years. Is he too old to participate in elections? No, he lacks the electoral base and political clout to win any contested office and he knows that. That is the reason for his quitting competitive politicking at the age of Fourty-Two (42), when men of substance took the political stage by storm.

“Anyim has nothing to offer politically and if he is waiting to be wooed into defecting to the A.P.C., then he should be rest assured that he is waiting for God.”

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