The race for the Senate Presidency has taken a surprise turn as Senator Osita Izunaso has declared himself a candidate for the position, despite the consensus reached by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of Godswill Akpabio.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Izunaso, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas and Housing, stated that he aims to give the National Assembly a “clean and fresh breath” and expressed his optimism of winning the election.
In a statement released by his media office, Izunaso emphasised his legislative and National Assembly experience, having served as the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1992 and as the Chief Press Secretary to the President of the Senate in 1999.
He remarked, “In all of these periods, I was one of the most outstanding committee Chairmen in both the Green and Red chambers. As a consummate party man, I joined the nation’s best of eggheads like Babatunde Raji Fashola, and our erudite Baba, Chief Bisi Akande in the formation of the APC in 2014. After the birth of the party, I served meritoriously as the National Organising Secretary of the party.
“It would also interest you to know that during the five years of my tenure as the National Organising Secretary of APC, there was no single litigation over our congresses both for party primaries and party executives. I was fair, just, adroit and meticulous in all my activities.
“Looking for a complete and loyal party man, I am the best. If competence, as in what our father, the President-elect desires in his planned Government of National Competence is the criterion, I am not just the most competent, I am the most capable, creative and organised senator among the contestants.
“If you want to go with the mood of the nation, requiring a government of National Unity, I am an Igbo man from South-east, the most marginalised zone in Nigeria, I am the most qualified,” he pointed out.
He also urged the APC leadership to come up with a zoning arrangement that would promote unity and national cohesion, one that would produce the best presiding officers among the newly elected legislators.
Izunaso called for a new Assembly chaired by a competent, capable, and experienced leader with proven integrity. He insisted that the controversial zoning formula, which has generated tension and protests among Nigerians, should be discarded immediately.
Senator Izunaso expressed his confidence in the incoming administration, led by President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to enhance democracy and good governance in Nigeria and across the globe.
Izunaso noted further, “Equally, if you want to go with the ‘Not-Too-Young Act’, one of the greatest achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, I am the youngest of all the aspirants, the face of the youths, representing the most agitated demography in the country today. It is me. I am indeed the best and the next person for Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ‘Emi Lokan!’
“I am the person that can give the Senate a clean and fresh image needed to give us a new Nigeria promised Nigerians by the greatest democrat of our time, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am the best and most suitable for the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly,” he canvassed.
Recall that the APC National Working Committee had, in a statement days ago, announced the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, naming Senator Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abass, respectively.
The committee, however called for further consultations with the necessary stakeholders in reaching a workable zoning formula for the National Assembly leadership positions.
