Foremost industrialist and philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze, has fired back at former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who accused him of being only interested in government contract.
In a statement by his Media Directorate, signed by Okpala Okechukwu, Prince Eze, who is the Chairman of Oranto Group, described the comments credited to Anyim as provocative, insulting and derogatory.
Anyim had, in a leeter to Prince Eze, in reaction to the latter’s comments about him in a newspaper interview, said: “It is clear from your (Arthur Eze) thought process, as can be seen from the interview, that your anger was that I did not patronise you with contracts while I occupied the office of SGF. It can also be seen that in your convoluted judgement, any public officer who did not patronise you with contracts is not worthy of office. However, as is usual with me, I would not have bothered to dignify you with a response. But because you have taken it as a hobby to seek me out at any opportunity, if I do not respond, silence may no longer be golden.”
The former Senate president also said: “In conclusion, it is my wish to advise you to please respect yourself and your age. Never forget that respect is earned and that as a Prince from the esteemed Ukpo community, you should have more sense of honour. You perched around President Jonathan like a hungry fly while President Jonathan was in office. Now, you shamelessly and dishonourably say derogatory words about President Jonathan. One can only bet that you will do the same to the leadership of the present administration once they are out of power. That is not in the character of Ndigbo.”
Reacting to Anyim’s letter, Prince Eze said comparing his personality and that of the former Senate President was like “comparing night and day.” According to him, “Anyim, a man who became the president of the Nigerian Senate by irony of fate and accident of history should know that the great Prince Arthur Eze towers shoulder high above him and the Prince is not his match in a any respect.”
Prince Eze said insinuation that he is only interested in government contacts “is laughable and childish and at best borne out of jealousy.”
On his pedigree, he said: “Despite the fact that Anyim has served in government at various times, his records and personal acceptability, impact and clout do not come close to that of Prince Eze who has never been in government or employed by anybody bur has been creating jobs and employing people since he left school in the USA,” adding: “Can one therefore compare that poor record in public service with the sterling and exceptional leadership qualities of Prince Arthur Eze?”
Rating Anyim, Prince Eze said: “It is on record that Senator Anyim is the worst Senate President that the South East zone has produced. He was not able to attract any meaningful development to the zone throughout his tenure.”
According to him, with the top positions Anyim held in government he could not ensure that the second Niger Bridge was executed. Prince Eze said: “Is it not a thing of shame that as long as Anyim stayed, both as Senate President and SGF he could not cause the execution of the second Niger Bridge which the Buhari administration is now executing?
“Even the East West road project which could have had direct benefit to the South East was treated with lethargy during his time. So what kind of leader is Anyim? A leader whose tenure does not benefit his people is a failure and I dare say that Anyim is a colossal failure in government.”
Listing his achievements, Prince Eze said: “Does Anyim not know that Prince Arthur Eze is a foremost, reputable and seasoned entrepreneurship giant of global reckoning? Is he not aware that the second Indigenous airline established in this country was Triax Airlines by Prince Arthur Eze? This was only second to the first airline, Okada Air by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom.
“The great Prince Arthur Eze also set up Triax Engineering which was the only indigenous firm handling the massive construction of FM radio stations across the country, employing countless youths in the nooks and cranny of Nigeria.
“Prince Arthur Eze has flown the flag of Nigeria and indeed the South East to the farthest parts of the world. Prince Eze also set up Atlas Petroleum and Oranto Petroleum Conglomerates, which are world class oil and gas giants which provide employment for people across the world, including Nigeria.”
The businessman said in the area of philanthropy, he has helped many Nigerians, saying his “donations and interventions during the current COVID-19 pandemic is unequalled.”
Advising Anyim, he said: “People who accidentally found themselves in positions of governance and honour, like Anyim should be grateful to God and not wake up overnight to attempt to denigrate men of stature who have done so much to uplift the downtrodden.”