President Muhammadu Buhari met privately with Senator-elect Osita Izunaso (Imo West) on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja before the June induction of the 10th Senate’s leadership.
Senator Izunaso, one of the leading candidates for the position of Senate President, previously held the role of Organizing Secretary for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and represented Imo West in the country’s upper legislative house from 2007 to 2011.
After discussing his desire to become Senate President with President Buhari, Senator Izunaso told State House reporters that he is the most senior and qualified member of the upper chamber from the South-East and South-South.
On what the President told him, Izunaso said that the discussion was good but declined to give insight, saying that “those are my personal discussion with Mr. President but I had a good discussion with him.”
Izunaso claimed that in addition to being the most senior Senator, his position as the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) National Organising Secretary puts him in a strong position to serve as the upper chamber’s presiding officer.
Asked what he came to the Presidential Villa for, he said: “I came here to see Mr. President and to discuss a wide range of issues of national importance and I can assure you that we had good discussion; several discussions.
“First of all, you know I was a recipient of national honors. I haven’t even thanked Mr. President and I came in to thank him.
“Of course, we discussed the issue concerning the 10th Senate. It was discussed extensively.
“As the oldest Senator in both South-East and South-South, I think it should be obvious. There is no Senator today in the APC of South-South and South-East that is older than me in the Senate and that’s an institution that believes in ranking.
“So, I’m the highest ranking Senator in both South South and Southeast. I came to the Senate on 2007, I was in the House of Reps, I’ve been in the party for five good solid years.
“I ran the party to the best of my ability as National Organising Secretary of this party that saw us to victory in 2015 and 2019.
“So, I think we have paid our dues.”
On his chances against former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is also vying for the position, he said: “I don’t want to talk about that. But am telling you that am the oldest Senator in the South-East and South-South and we are waiting for the party.”
Izunaso insisted that the Senate President should be zoned to the southeast as, according to him, it is the natural thing to do.
“It’s only fair and natural that the party should zone it to the South-East,” he declared.