In the letter signed by the CASG National Secretary, Mazi Peter Okoroafor, and made available to The PUNCH, the coalition expressed optimism that allocating the prestigious office to the region ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly would douse agitation and unrest among their people.
The coalition’s plea comes barely three days after the National Vice Chairman of the APC (North-West), Malam Salihu Lukman, called on northern senators contesting the post to step down to balance the Muslim-Muslim ticket approach of the party.
According to him, it would be insensitive to have a Muslim Senate president after producing a president and his deputy, who share a similar faith.
No fewer than eight senators had indicated an interest in the race. They include senators Jibrin Barau (Kano Central), Sani Musa (Niger East), Orji Kalu (Abia North), and Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom North-West).
Others are Senators Osita Izunaso (Imo West), Peter Ndubueze (Imo North), Abdul’Aziz Yari (Zamfara West) and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North), amongst others.
Lukman however called on Yari, Barau and other northern senators to step down from the race for the office of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
Drumming support for the South-East in Wednesday’s letter to the APC National Working Committee, the coalition further urged the Adamu-led NWC to consider adopting the senator-elect for Imo West, Osita Izunaso, as the next Senate President being the most senior ranking lawmaker from the region.
The letter partly read, “While not objecting to the emotional argument of geo-political consideration, it behoves on the NWC to lean on the balance of justice and equity, and insecurity challenges to concede the senate president position to the South East geo-political zone, where undoubtedly character and competence is remarkably in abundance.
“Only recently, the South East political zone has been overheated by non-inclusivity in principal elective appointments which the NWC can redress by taking proper and judicious decisions on the South-East Senate Presidency.
“Having considered the prerequisites referenced above, we recommend a man who has character, experience, capacity, trust and above all loyalty to the party as most suitable for the office of the Senate President. The man best suitable for the office so described is Senator Osita Izunaso; the most senior ranking senator from the South East zone in the 10th Assembly, a member of the APC merger committee, APC caucus member, national organising secretary among others.
“For national cohesion and integration, and for peace to be pursued and delivered in the South-East political zone, the NWC should do the needful by zoning the office of the senate president to the South-East and consider Osita Izunaso OFR as their first choice for all the conditions stated above.”
