By Gabriel Ewepu

FOLLOWING impactful leadership, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant and former President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, is set to be honoured the prestigious 2020 Zik Prize in Political Leadership on November 7, 2021 in Lagos.

Ayim who was the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, was announced along with other winners of the Year 2020 Zik Prize in Leadership Award Thursday last week in Lagos by Chairman of the Selection Committee, Prof Pat Utomi, on behalf of the members of the Board of Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre, PRAC.

He is being honoured in recognition of his exemplary leadership qualities shown when occuped the offices of the Senate President and the SGF, where he left indelible legacies.

Meanwhile, he (Anyim) won the 2020 Zik Prize in Political Leadership category along with the Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora.

It will be recalled that recently at the PDP National Convention, Anyim declared interest to run for president in 2023 presidential election, despite his party did not zone it to South East geopolitical zone where he hails from.

According to him, while declaring his interest, posters of his presidential bid and agitations by groups for him to contest flooded the social media in 2020, which he disassociated himself from it, because, he felt it was too early for such declarations in order to enable the Buhari-led administration concentrate on governance.

Meanwhile, he further explained that, “Such calls resurfaced in the early part of 2021 and I choose to be quiet over the issue.

“We presently have less than 18 months to the next elections and I feel the time was ripe to indicate my interest.”

Meanwhile, Prof Utomi also disclosed that Governors of Lagos and Nasarawa States, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Abdullahi Sule, will be honoured with Year 2020 Zik Prize in ‘Good Governance’.

Also Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mele Kyari, President of African Development Bank, AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh,  will be honoured for achievements in Public Service.

Others on the list of awardees include former Group Managing Director, FBN Holdings Plc, Uke Eke, and Pioneer MD/CEO, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, Uche Orji, will be honoured in the Professional Excellence category, and former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, will be recognised in the Humanitarian Leadership category.

The event shall have Chief John Nwodo as Chairman, while the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ade Bayero, will be the Royal Guest of Honour.