President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated a former Senate President and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim on his 61st birthday.
Represented by the sitting Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Musapha at the birthday celebration in Abuja at the weekend, Buhari expressed his firm belief in the competence of Anyim, to fill any political office in Nigeria.
Buhari, in a goodwill message delivered by Mustapha, described Anyim at 61 as, “foremost Nigerian statesman, model and icon for the Nigerian youths.
“Anyim is a true Nigerian patriot who has displayed uncommon and disarming humility whether he was in position of authority or out of it. The detribalising impact of this trait was forcefully brought to bear when he was the Senate President between August 2000 and May 2003, especially as he was elected as Senate President to restore normalcy to the red chambers after two successive short-lived leadership.
“His maturity, courage, tenacity unwavering conviction were very instrumental to providing the peaceful atmosphere between the executive and legislature during his tenure.
“It was this trait complemented by his ability to build bridges and networks that endeared him to President Jonathan to appoint him as the SGF in May 2011.
“Anyim is also a patriotic Nigerian who always put his Nation first and he is one of the stabilising voices we have today in the polity of our Country. This has demonstrated a number of times but the one that stands out and still echoes with me was his insistence that elected officers should only spend a single term and he kept to his word by not seeking re-election to the senate after the expiration of his first tenure as Senate President in 2003.
“Before I end this remark, let me say on a personal note that, as the current and 19th SGF, I have drawn a lot from the words of wisdom that has been the source of strength and endowment that Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has brought to the fore of governance in this country. We don’t often meet but whenever we meet we share about the responsibilities of the office and the enormity of the act of balancing contending forces and interests that are always vested on any occupant of that office.
“I want to thank you, Sir, for the wealth of experience and the depth of knowledge that you have ever and always exhibited whenever I draw from your past experiences.
“I made bold to say that whoever has occupied the office of the SGF for four years in an evolving democracy like Nigeria with diverse contentious issues is capable and able to occupy any office”.
Given that Anyim is one of the leading candidates for the 2023 Nigerian Presidency under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), this high profile endorsement from the presidency distinguishes him from the pack as a man who is tested and trusted, tried and proven.
