Frontrunner for the Speakership position for the 10th National Assembly, Hon Muktar Betara Aliyu has hinted that one of the candidates from the Progressive Speakership Aspirants’ caucus would lead the Green Chamber .
Betara,the chairman, House committee on Appropriation gave this hints during the official declaration of another member of the coalition ,Mr Ahmed Wase for the Speakership bid .
The fourth term federal lawmaker stressed that his group still holds the ace on who emerges the next Speaker of the lower legislative chamber.
Betara ,a member representing Biu, Bayo, Shani and Kwaya Kusar constituency, Borno state, however expressed optimism that the group would arrive at a consensus on who is best suited to preside over the proceedings of the House.
“Today, myself and other members of the Coalition of Progressive Speakership Aspirants, attended the official declaration of my friend and brother Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, to run for the office of Speaker, House of Representatives, at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja” Betara said .
He described Wase as a brother and a comrade who is equally qualified to preside over the House.
“For us, we formed this group because we are opposed to the zoning arrangement of the party, We are not fighting and we would not fight. We are in support of a consensus candidate.
“We can pick the candidate from among ourselves but we will all sit down and decide on it. I assure all of you it is only one person that God would choose to be Speaker. We are not going to have any issue. We are going to agree to support one of us as speaker.”
Mrs Miriam Onuoha, one of the members of the coalition reiterated her opposition to injustice in the polity while calling of inclusivity of women and other vulnerable groups that form over half the population of the country.
“I stand with the coalition, indivisibility of Nigeria. Legislature is independent. Members-elect would rise up to the challenge to ensure the independence of the legislature,” she added.
Wase said it behooves on the leadership of the party to cede the seat to him having served the interest of the APC, the parliament and the nation over the years.
In his remarks , Sada Soli, there is need for fairness, inclusivity and respect for diversity in arriving at the choice of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Katsina born lawmaker called on members-elect to strive to protect the sanctity and freedom of the institution of the legislature.
“Anything short of that, the consequences would be dire. We must drop all personal interests geared towards producing a Speaker who would not take directive for some personal aggrandisement, a speaker who would tell you as it is. Lawmaking is a very serious business. It is beyond personal interests.”
Yusuf Gagdi who spoke in the same vein warned against a rubber stamp Assembly that would take directive from forces outside the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly.
“We are determined to protect democracy. The House of Representatives is the House of the Nigerian people. By the time we are working, no leadership of party would be there. Only we and we would be doing the serious business of lawmaking.”