The news of the passage of Chief Tony Anenih and former Board of Trustee Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday generated reactions across Edo State.
The State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki described it as shocking, saying that his contribution to the nation would be missed.
Chief Anenih was also a former Minister of Works and former National Chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party.
Obaseki who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the people of the State are consoled by the fact that Chief Anenih lived a long and fruitful life.
He said the demise of Chief Anenih is more saddened as it happened at a time the country is going into electioneering campaigns.
Governor Obaseki said the state would mourn his demise and missed his fatherly role in bringing people together.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ovia Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Dennis Idahosa, said Chief Anenih contribution to the country’s political development cannot be forgotten easily.
Idahosa said Chief Anenih played fatherly role to all politicians in the state.
Former President of the National Association of Nigeria Students, Comrade Jude Imagwe, said his heart is heavy with the passing of Chief Anenih.
“The wind is blowing and the root of an iroko has shaken. The lion has gone into sleep and the leopard is heading into the savannah. The sand in his hour has poured out. My heart is heavy but God is God.”
On his part, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, said the party will not react until Aneenih’s family issued a formal statement.
“We are waiting for a formal statement to be issued by the family. I think we should respect a statement to be issued by the family”, he said.
All was however quiet at his house on Delta Crescent in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin, as the massive gate to his compound was under lock and key.
Two security guards manning the gate confessed that they were not aware of the death of the Iyasele of Esanland.
They said the younger son who just drove in was not disposed to talking to the press.
The situation was the same at the residence of his wife, Iyom Josephine Anenih on Liberty Avenue, GRA.
The gate was under lock and key but in a telephone interview, Mrs. Anenih, a former Minister of Women Affairs, said that she will only speak after the family issued a statement.
Another of his son, Mr. Usolo Anenih confirmed the demise of the former Minister of Works in a private hospital in Abuja after a brief illness.
He said the eldest son, Mr. Tony Anenih, jnr, flew to Abuja from his base in Lagos and will issue a statement after a family meeting.
Life and times Chief Tony Anenih
Chief Tony Anenih served in the Nigeria Police Force, from where he retired with the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police in 1975.
Anenih, from Arue, Uromi, headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State cut his political teeth as Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in defunct Bendel State during the ill-fated Second Republic.
He came to political limelight as National Chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), one of the two political parties decreed into existence during the Military transition programme of self-styled Military President Badamasi Babangida.
Under his chairmanship of the SPD, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola won the famous June 12, 2003 Presidential election which was annulled by President Babangida, an action that threw the country into political tumoil.
He again bounced back to political reckoning between 1998 and 2014 when he at various times was called ‘Leader’ and later became, Chairman Board of Trustees of the People Democratic Party (PDP).
Chief Anenih who was Popularly known as Mr. Fix it, because of his political influence and ability settle political knotty problems, also served as Minister of Works under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo PDP-led Government.
He however quit active partisan politics, following the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election which his party, the PDP, lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
How can the death of a 85 years or more years man be a shock? It is no shock to the poor people of Edo state who suffered deprivation under his supervision and actions of Lucky Igbinedion. He might have his good part, but it must be put on record that he was a callous politician who never cared for the people of Edo. Anyone in doubt of his callousness can go to the Express road at Ewu Hill and see the number of deaths that occur there on an almost daily basis. Anenih was minister of works and when he left, he put Onalememeh as his replacement. Both of them are Esan and that death trap did not mean anything as they left it unattended to. May God have mercy on Anenih