A renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome has described the former senate President and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim as the “most detribalised and patriotic leader ever to grace the senate”.
Ozekhome made the description at the commemoration of the 61st birthday celebration of the former SGF which was held in Abuja on February 19.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who had worked closely with Anyim further described him as a pan-African, administrator, achiever, go-getter, and a patriot.
According to him, “Anyim is blind to ethnicity, deaf to religion and numb to language.”
The legal icon said Anyim has made a name for himself as a consensus builder and a beacon of exemplary leadership. A character that has helped him attain an enviably high level in his career and also command the admiration and respect of his superiors and contemporaries from all parts of the country.
Chief Anyim Pius Anyim was born on 19th February 1961). He served as President of the Nigerian senate and later, was Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, during Goodluck Jonathan presidency.
Sen. Anyim was elected a Senator on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 1999 for the Ebonyi South constituency and emerged as Senate President the following year, in August 2000.
Anyim attended Ishiagu High School (St. John Bosco), the Federal School of Arts and Science, Aba and later, Imo State University, Uturu 1983–1987 and observed the compulsory National Youth Service in Sokoto where he served as the Co-ordinator, Youth Mobilisation Programme in Sokoto State. In 1992, Anyim became the Head of Protection Department at the National Commission for Refugees, Abuja, a job that included provision of legal services and political protection for refugees. In this capacity, he travelled to various parts of the world.
In 1998, Anyim joined the United Nigeria Congress Party, UNCP, and won a Senate election. However, the death of General Sani Abacha on 8 June 1998 nullified the result. During the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and again ran successfully for election to the Senate in 1999.