Senate presidency: I’m in talks with Yari’s camp, others – Izunaso

A frontline contender for the 10th Senate presidency, Osita Izunaso, says he is in talks with senator-elect Abdul’aziz Yari’s camp for possible support.

Izunaso, the senator-elect for Imo West, said this Saturday in an interview with reporters during a courtesy visit to the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had picked a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North) as the preferred candidates for the positions of senate president and deputy respectively.

But the choice of Akpabio and Barau had raised dust among the aspirants, some of whom have been considering alliance against the party’s choice.

Similarly, Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, earlier in the week said he was also reaching out to Yari for possible alliance

But Izunaso dismissed the zoning arrangement, saying no one has been chosen by the party.

He said:  “We are talking to Senator Abdulaziz Yari and other contenders and senators-elect, but I can assure you that at the end of the day, I will be the next Senate President by the special grace of God.”

“No one has been chosen by the party. When the party chooses, you will know. The party is calling for better and further consultation. The party merely advised. There is no zoning yet,” he said.

He said he is the most experienced among the contenders for Senate presidency, having worked as a legislative staff in the National Assembly and then served as elected lawmakers in both the Senate and House of Representatives.