From Paul Orude, Bauchi
A northern group, Arewa Youths for the Sustenance of Democracy and Good Governance (AYSDGG) has described the senator-elect representing Imo West, Senator Osita Bonaventure Izunaso, as the best to lead the 10th National Assembly as President of the Senate
It pleaded with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima and the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu to settle for Izunaso, saying he is a technocrat who has no case of corruption.
President of the group, Alhaji Salihu Magaji stated this when he addressed journalists at the Hazibal Conference room on Sunday in Bauchi.
“We have very great respect for the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his vice Senator Kashim Shettima, and we know, as people of integrity, they need a Senate and National Assembly leadership that will assist them to give optimum performance to the nation in order to leave a lasting legacy in nation building,” he said.
Magaji said after examining the credentials of all the senators-elect eying the Senate presidency, the group concluded that Izunaso ranked the best.
“Our position is not based on partisanship because we cut across all the political parties that fielded people for the Senate,” he said
“Based on the respect we have for Tinubu and Kashim, their success as President and Vice President is of utmost importance to us.
“I believe they need the goodwill of the ordinary masses that elected them into office hence they should bring new people on board.
“This man, Izunaso, has been everywhere around the executive and the National Assembly, both chambers for that matter.
“He is brilliant, capable, experienced, level-headed, intelligent and understands our socio-religious intricacies.
“He has no baggage of controversy and he is not a person that will be at loggerheads with those in power in other arms.
“We have to be well guided this time around. He is not a corrupt leader.
“We want our President-elect, Vice President-elect and the leadership of APC to consider fairness, competency and experience in the selection of the senate president in the 10th National Assembly.
“It is now time to douse the tension generated by the controversial zoning formula already charging the political atmosphere of the country by coming up with a zoning arrangement that would guarantee unity and national cohesion, a new zoning arrangement that would not only produce the best among the senators and House of Representatives Members-elect as their presiding officers but be seen by Nigerians and the world at large as meeting the best practices in legislative norms and satisfying the political exigencies of present Nigeria.”
Magaji explained that what the country needed now was a brand new assembly chaired by a competent, capable and experienced man of proven integrity, without any blemish whatsoever.
He said Izunaso was the highest ranking Senator from the South-South and South-East with a robust and outstanding legislative and National Assembly experience spanning from 1992 when he served as the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives to 1999 when he was appointed as the Chief Press Secretary to the President of the Senate.