…Recommends Senator Osita Izunaso as most competent
A group of media experts has charged the ruling All Progressive Congress ( APC) to narrow down the position of the President of the 10th Senate to the South East zone in the interest of justice , equity and fairness .
They called on all candidates from the North jostling for the position of President of the 10th Senate to bury the thought in the interest of justice .
The event was a talk shop organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ) , Oyo state chapter on the ‘ State of the Nation’ held at the Dapo Aderogba Hall , Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Wednesday.
Among the eminent panelists are a
former President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) , Mr. Lanre Ogundipe, former National President, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Bose Oyewole and a former Chief Press Secretary to Oyo state governor , Mr. Kehinde Olaosebikan.
In their submission at the event attended by a cream of Journalists, the South East zone should be allowed to produce the next Senate President to give the region a sense of belonging to foster unity .
Speaking on the candidates from the zone, the panelists identified two individuals from the Southeast who have shown interest in the position, Senators Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West Senatorial District, and Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North Senatorial District.
After discussions on the two candidates, the panelists unanimously recommended Senator Osita Izunaso as the most competent, suitable and qualified as President of the 10th Senate .
According to them, Senator Kalu obviously has bandages , having questions to answer with the anti graft agency and was formerly held in prison .
Their choice for Senator Osita Izunaso , they said was informed by the fact that he is clean, a fresher , transparent, without any case of fraud , and highly educated .
Other speakers who spoke during the roundtable discussion included a former Chairman of NUJ in Oyo state, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, Chairman, League of Veteran Journalists, Chief Banji Ogundele and Mrs. Kemi Ajayi, a veteran broadcaster.
The former National President of the NUJ, Comrade Ogundipe explained that South East is the only region that is yet to produce a President since 1999.
They however said that in older to douse tension in the region, South East should be allowed to produce Senate President.
Ogundipe in his contribution, explained that the South West and North West have produced President and Vice President and the South East should be the next to produce Senate President.
He added that the APC should Iook at the antecedents of the contestants, adding that Senator Osita Izunaso stands tall among them.
He said, “The South West and North West have produced President and Vice President and the South East should be the next to produce Senate President. We must scrutinize their CVs and among them, Osita Izunaso stands talk among them. He is the only one without any garbage”.
Oyewole in her contribution, insisted that the APC should allow the South East zone to produce the next Senate President.
Oluwadamilare in his remark, explained that the South East should be given the opportunity so as to douse the agitation and tension in the zone.
“It will be fair for APC to pick someone from South East for Senate President. They have been crying over marginalisation and they should be given the opportunity. The best is to give them so as to douse the tension.
“We are not politicians but members of the fourth estate and that is why we are saying that the zone should be given the opportunity and someone who does not have any garbage, Osita Izunaso should be allowed because he is the only one with fresh air and fresh ideas”.
Olaosebikan in his contribution noted that the slot should be given to the zone so as to placate them and douse the tension in the zone.
He said that northerners and those from the South West have no business in vying for the position during the 10th national assembly.
“South West and South South have produced the President and Vice before, the only region that has not done it is South East. The South West and North West have president and vice president already.
“It will not be nice for the North or South South to vie for the position at this time around, the APC should look for someone in the South East as Senate President and Osita Izunaso has the best profile. He is the most ranked among them”.
