Group says South East Senate presidency will simmer down IPOB agitation
Group says South East Senate presidency will simmer down IPOB agitation
By: Our Correspondent
The Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups has stated that the prevailing agitation for secession by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and general insecurity in the South-East will naturally simmer down when the next Senate president comes from the zone. They argue that this is not only necessary but also politically expedient, considering the associated security implications.
Muhammad Aminu Abbas, the spokesman of the group, made these assertions during a press conference held in Kaduna on May 26, 2023.
The group expressed dismay that the zoning arrangement released by the national leadership of the APC for the 10th National Assembly failed to address the agitation from the Southeast. They noted that zoning the Senate presidency to the South-East geopolitical zone would be an answer to power exclusion and marginalization.
Abbas explained that for political stability and democratic consolidation, the APC must recognize that the South-East geopolitical zone has two APC governors, while the South-South has only one APC governor (Cross-River State).
Abbas further highlighted that, from 1999 until the present, the South-South geopolitical zone has produced a Vice-President and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, while none have come from the South-East.
He argued that during the APC-led administration in the country, the South-South has produced two APC National Chairmen, namely Chief John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, while the South-East had none.
He added, “In order not to sacrifice party loyalty, commitment, and the dexterity to build the party, we unanimously endorse Senator Osita Izunaso for the office of the Senate President for the 10th Senate.”
According to Abbas, Senator Barrister Bonaventure Osita Izunaso, who represents Orlu Senatorial District in Imo State, is a seasoned legislator with more than 10 years of legislative experience in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Abbas emphasized that Senator Bonaventure Osita Izunaso has held various positions in the Senate, including serving as the Senate Committee Chairman on Gas Resources and as a member of different committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He observed that Senator Bonaventure Osita Izunaso’s combined experience in the private and public sectors, having served as an administrator, Board Chairman, and member of different Boards and Governing Councils across the country, makes him the most eligible candidate for the position of Senate president.
The spokesman believed that Senator Bonaventure Osita Izunaso has the required knowledge and academic capacity to preside over the Red Chamber. He stressed that it is evident the Senator has dedicated time to prepare himself for this role, and there is no excuse whatsoever to overlook him.
“It will be a great oversight and injustice to disregard this qualified and competent Senator in favor of another. The South-East must be carried along and compensated for the support they have given the APC in the past and present dispensation,” he explained.
