Nigerian leaders mourn exit of Anenih, aka Mr Fix It

Mon, Oct 29, 2018 | By publisher


Passage

Since his death was announced on Sunday, October 28, many notable Nigerians from different parts of the country have been expressing their condolences to the family, friends and relations of Tony Anenih, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Anenih, a retired commissioner of Police, who was known in the political circles as Mr Fix It, died on Sunday at the age of 85.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his condolence message described the death of the former chairman, Board of Trustees, PDP as an end of one of the most inspiring chapters of the nation’s history. That notwithstanding, he said the former minister of Works in his government lived a fulfilled life.

Obasanjo in his condolence letter said in part: “Chief Tony Anenih’s life was an archetypal lesson in public service and leadership at its best. He had to himself a life full of accomplishments and meritorious services to the local and national communities.

“He served the nation with devotion and diligence in his chosen profession. His service in the Nigeria Police Force was distinguished by high professional standard.

“He was an epitome of humility and dignity, both in service and in retirement, even though he rose to the rank of commissioner of Police before retirement.”

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, on his part described Anenih as a leader who was resolutely committed to the unity and cohesion of the country.

He said in a statement by his Media Office: “Chief Anenih was a foremost politician and elder-statesman. He was resolutely committed to the unity and cohesion of this country. He worked for the upliftment of his Uromi hometown and Edo State, as he worked for the growth and development of Nigeria.

“A politician of immense repute. He gave so much to party politics and democracy in the country. As one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he played a key role in the country’s resurgent democracy. It was no surprise that he later emerged the Chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP…

“I commiserate with his family. I pray that they find the strength and courage to live without their patriarch. I also commiserate with Governor Godwin Obaseki and the government and people of Edo State.”

In a similar message, Uche Secondus, the national chairman of the PDP, described Anenih as an outstanding leader who would be greatly missed in the polity. He said the death of the great politician and founding member of the PDP came to him as a shock but thanked God for his golden age and the huge legacies he left behind.

The national chairman remarked that the party had wished Anenih to be around to see the party regain power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, but that the wish of God is unquestionable.

According to him, “Chief Anenih’s deep political thinking and disarming political strategy that helped him holds way in the country’s polity for years would be missed as well as his fatherly counsel at challenging times”

As for Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Senate, the late Anenih was a pan-Nigerian patriot. In a statement by Uche Anichukwu, his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Ekweremadu said: “Chief Anineh contributed so much to deepening our democracy and setting the nation on the path of progress at the end of many decades of military rule. He was a humble leader, fine public administrator, political kingmaker, a colossus, master strategist, and a political oracle, who was very vast in political engineering.

“Iyasele was a courageous man, and a man of few words, who meant whatever he said and said only what he meant. He will be sorely missed.”

Similarly, Governor David Umahi, the chairman South East Governors Forum, expressed sadness over the death of Anenih, describing him as a patriot and a political encyclopaedia who contributed immensely to the development of democracy in Nigeria.

According to the governor, Nigeria has lost a great icon and a foremost politician, whose love and contribution towards the sustenance of democracy was total and unequalled.

Born on August 4, 1933, in Uzenema-Arue in Uromi, Edo State, Anthony Akhakon Anenih, joined the Nigeria Police Force in Benin City. Working at home, he obtained secondary school qualifications. He attended the Police College in Ikeja, Lagos State and was selected for further training in the Bramshill Police College, Basingstoke, England in 1966 and the International Police Academy, Washington DC in 1970.

He served as a Police orderly to Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first governor general of Nigeria. He worked as an instructor in various Police Colleges and in 1975 was assigned to the Administrative Staff College, ASCON, Lagos. He retired from the police as a Commissioner of police.

Anenih was the state chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN, between 1981 and in 1983, he helped Samuel Ogbemudia become elected as civilian governor of Bendel State. However, the governorship was cut short by the military takeover of December 1983. He was national chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1992 and 1993, when he assisted in the election of Moshood Abiola as president. He was a member of the Constitutional Conference in 1994.

Anenih was a member of the PDM until early April 2002, when he transferred to the PDP. Anenih was said to have masterminded the April 26, 2002 declaration of President Obasanjo at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. He was deputy national coordinator of Olusegun Obasanjo’s Campaign Organisation in the 1999 and 2003 elections.

He died in Cedar Crest Hospital Abuja on Sunday, October 28.

– Oct. 29, 2018 @ 16:55 GMT |

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