Anyim’s Exit Will Not Sink PDP In Ebonyi – PDP Chieftains

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains have dismissed suggestions that the defection of Anyim Pius Anyim would affect the party’s chances in Ebonyi State.

The former Senate president and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius, defected from the main opposition PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP Former National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan and former PDP Acting National Secretary, Remi Akitoye, said the exit of Anyim would not affect the party or lead to the collapse of the main opposition.

In separate interviews with Independent Nigeria, the two former members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) said the next general election would make so many defectors regret their exit from the party.

PDP former spokesman, in reaction to Anyim’s exit impact on Ebonyi PDP and national party chances in elections, said, “Nobody can collapse PDP. Leaders who are dissatisfied can leave the party but that doesn’t amount to collapsing the party’s structure because the party exists in every polling unit.

“Like you know I’m not the spokesperson of the party. I think that what Anyim has done is honourable. If you think that you don’t have space in the environment, you take your leave.

“That is what he has done instead of staying there and fooling the people. It’s more honourable as far as I’m concerned.”

On his part, PDP’s former National Secretary said, “This is the time a lot of people are playing politics with bitterness.

“I think by next year politics will come to the forefront and things will settle. I’m sure a lot of people who have left now may wish to come back to PDP. Nobody will drive them away.

“Definitely by next year there will be a lot of returnees, that is politics and I believe that it’s good for our democracy at the moment.”

Akitoye said Ebonyi PDP would rise back to build. He said one person could not be dictating for the state’s PDP branch.

“We cannot see it as a destruction. One person cannot be talking for the whole of Ebony State. If I decide to go to the APC I may even decide to say that I’ve brought 20 million people.

“I’m sure that within one or two days people from Ebonyi State will start reacting to the comment. They’ll say, no, let him go with his people, we’re still on ground,” Akitoye said.