The Coalition of APC Support Groups (CASG) wrote a formal letter on Wednesday to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, urging the party to zone the Senate President’s office to the South‑East in the spirit of fairness. The letter, signed by CASG National Secretary Mazi Peter Okoroafor and made available to the press, expressed optimism that allocating the prestigious office to the region before the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly would quell agitation and unrest among their people.
The coalition’s plea follows, by only three days, a call from the National Vice Chairman of the APC (North‑West), Malam Salihu Lukman, for northern senators contesting the post to step down. Lukman argued that it would be insensitive to have a Muslim Senate President after the party had already produced a president and a deputy who share the same faith. At least eight senators had shown interest in the race, including Jibrin Barau (Kano Central), Sani Musa (Niger East), Orji Kalu (Abia North), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa‑Ibom North‑West), Osita Izunaso (Imo West), Peter Ndubueze (Imo North), Abdul’Aziz Yari (Zamfara West) and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). Lukman specifically called on Yari, Barau and other northern senators to withdraw from the contest for the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly.
In its Wednesday letter to the APC National Working Committee, the coalition also urged the Adamu‑led NWC to consider Senator‑elect Osita Izunaso of Imo West as the next Senate President, noting that he is the most senior ranking lawmaker from the South‑East. The letter stated: “While not objecting to the emotional argument of geo‑political consideration, it behoves the NWC to lean on the balance of justice, equity, and insecurity challenges and concede the Senate President position to the South‑East, where character and competence are remarkably abundant. Recently, the South‑East political zone has been overheated by non‑inclusivity in principal elective appointments, which the NWC can redress by making 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 Senate President. The man best suited for the office 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, and national organising secretary, among other roles. For national cohesion, integration, and peace in the South‑East political zone, the NWC should zone the Senate President’s office to the South‑East and consider Osita Izunaso OFR as its first choice.”
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