The Senator-elect representing Imo West, Senator Osita Izunaso, has given reasons why he is the most suitable to occupy the next Senate Presidency seat based on his experience, capacity and the need to ensure national cohesion.
First elected into House of Representatives in 2003 and later into the Senate in 2007, Izunaso will be one of the ranking Senators in the coming 10th Assembly.
At an interactive session with a select journalists Monday in Abuja, the former National Organising Secretary of the ruling APC, said with incoming presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, the two topmost political offices in Nigeria have been taken by the South-west and North-east.
The founding APC leader said political expediency, quest for national stability and cohesion dictate that the number 3 political position and the head of the legislative arm of government should go to the South-east.
According to the Senator-elect, it is politically wise to stop the Peter Obi and IPOB/ESN wave in the South-east and the best way to achieve this is to have a man from the region in top three political positions and on order of protocols in Nigeria.
The Senator-elect said he is the only person in Nigeria’s history to ever worked as a staff of the two chambers of the National Assembly and later served in both chambers as elected representative of the people.
“In 1992, I worked as the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of House of Representatives, Agunwa Anakwe. I also served as the Chief Press Secretary to Senate President, Chief Evans Nwerem with the return of civilian administration in 1999.
“I had earlier served as Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Chief Jim Nwobodo from 1995-97 and retained same position with Minister of Labour and Productivity (1998-1999).”
Earlier at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, Izunaso served as Chairman of Committees and member of others; ranging from Rules and Business, Local and Foreign Debts, Housing, Gas, Foreign Affairs and Sports Development. He also sponsored many bills and led debates during plenary sessions.
Speaking on the need to support South-east for the Senate Presidency seat, the APC chieftain said: “Historically, the Nigeria federation has always rested on the tripod of three dominant ethnic groups of Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo. Under the current political dispensation, the Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani which now include Kanuri have produced the President and the Vice President.
“The imperative of political inclusiveness and arresting the agitation for Biafra in the South-east especially among the young people who have been misled into the nefarious activities by IPOB/ESN support the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the South East. Having not produced the president of Nigeria since independence except for the 6months stint of General Aguiyi Ironsi as Military Head of State in 1966, the intense Igbo sentiment against political exclusion and marginalization in Nigeria is justified.
“The post-May 29, 2023 leadership of 2 out of the 3 arms of government presents a unique dilemma for the country. The President as the head of the Executive arm and government will be a Yoruba-Muslim and the Head of Judiciary will remain another Yoruba-Muslim.
“To dilute this equation needs a strong Igbo patriot who will also be a Christian. The South-South geopolitical Zone has served as Vice President and President for a combined period of 8 years since return of civil rule in Nigeria in 1999.
“The North-West has produced President twice with late President Umaru Yar’adua and outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari ditto for North-East that produced a Vice President in person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from 1999-2007. The North-East has again retained the Vice Presidency. The most disadvantaged geopolitical zone in Nigeria since 1960 remains the South-east.”
