By Dennis Agbo

ABAKALIKI—FORMER Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, has dismissed reports he was planning to run with either Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other person as vice presidential candidate in the 2011 general elections.

He also dissociated himself from claims that he was in support of the zoning arrangement in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In  a statement, yesterday, by his Media Assistant, Bernard Akoma, Senator Anyim said his attention had been drawn to various newspaper reports associating him with actions he knew nothing about.

A publication in one of the national dailies (not Vanguard) had reported that Senator Anyim was among those jostling to be vice presidential candidate to one of the presidential aspirants in 2011.  In the same vein, there were other reports that he was among the Igbo leaders who took positions on the raging issue of zoning in PDP recently at meetings in Abuja.

“We wish to state that though these reports in themselves may not be harmful, but we consider this clarification necessary because the claims were false and misleading. 

“Anyim has never made any move to be a vice presidential candidate to any presidential aspirant for 2011 election.  

“Also, the reports that linked his name to meetings of Igbo group were as well false.  As at the time the said meetings were held in Abuja, Anyim was out of the country on holidays and only returned few days ago to attend Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship International, FGBMFI, 2010 convention,” Anyim said through his spokesman.

He advised reporters to always make efforts to confirm their stories before going to press.