The senator representing Imo West constituency of Imo State, Osita Izunaso, has said it is his turn to become the President of the Senate.
Izunaso, who listed his contributions and sacrifices to the formation of the All Progressives Congress in a Sunday statement signed by his media office, said it should be a payback time for him.
“I am a founding member of the APC; we travelled to Lagos every weekend for good six months during the formation stages to coin the name and get it right. We designed the logo, bringing together components of other parties making up the proposed APC then before going for registration in the Corporate Affairs Commission. Governor (Babatunde) Fashola is alive today, he knows all I am saying because he was part of the whole thing from day one.
“We conducted 36 governorship primaries, there was not a single litigation. Why? Because we did the right thing. You will agree with me that, that is what it means to show capacity. You know we battled a sitting President, therefore, we needed to do everything right to wrest power from them; so, if I could hold the party at that level from its formation stage when we didn’t even know we were going to win, why won’t I be able to lead the Red Chambers effectively as Senate President?
“So, for me, I can actually say it should be a payback time for me, having sacrificed my time, energy, scarce resources and services for the APC. I think it is only fair and just for the party to think it wise to compensate me, I think the time is now,” Izunaso said.
The lawmaker, who said he had paid his dues, said it was time for his party, the APC, to compensate him, adding that he was qualified for the position of the Senate President.
“Having served selflessly without blemish through rain and shine, during turbulent times when there was no ray of hope for the party, I think I deserve to be compensated; and having contested election and fortunately returned to the Senate, I think I am well-qualified to vie for the position of the Senate President. And why won’t I seek it, and why wouldn’t APC in their wisdom consider and compensate me? I’ve paid my dues in the party, and I have sacrificed a lot enough to earn me adequate compensation from the APC; if I am not qualified, that should have been a different ball game,” Izunaso said.
