The lead aspirant for the position of Speaker for the 10th House of Representatives, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara has assured all Members-elect across party lines of his resolve to carry everybody along if elected.
Hon. Betara who doubles as the incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations gave the assurance during the expanded consultation with various leaders and members of State caucuses during the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting was attended by returning and newly elected National Assembly members from Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa and Bauchi States.
The House Appropriation Committee Chairman who is currently in the holy land to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah) ahead of the completion of the Ramadan fast is using the opportunity to meet and consult the members-elect to advance his campaign.
The Borno lawmaker met and interacted with fellow lawmakers at his apartment in the holy city of Makkah, Monday evening.
Some of the Members-elect who attended the meeting pledged unflinching support for Hon. Betara. They applauded his leadership quality and the support provided over the years to his contemporaries irrespective of religious, ethnic and party affiliations.
One of the lawmakers who spoke after the meeting said: “We are here on solidarity support for our leader and esteemed colleague for heeding to the clarion call to provide quality leadership.
“We are all aware of the significant roles Honourable Muktar Aliyu Betara played in the emergence of successive Speakers and principal officers in the current and successive assemblies.
“Most of us are also aware of his resolve to shelve his ambition of becoming the Speaker in the previous assemblies.
“For those in the know of how things panned out in the outgoing Assembly, I can tell you for free that Honourable Betara played a significant role in averting serious crises which helped in stabilizing this Assembly.
“For us as a formidable team and caucuses, we have all it takes to rally the required support for Honourable Betara and the assurance that whatever plays out will be in his favour insha Allah during the inauguration of the 10th Assembly,” he assured.
The lawmakers who are expected to be sworn-in in June 2023 acknowledged the high sense of humility demonstrated by Hon. Betara whom they described as an achiever, bridge-builder, unifying factor, team player, detribalised leader of uncommon virtues and role model.
They maintained that Hon. Betara remains the most popular aspirant in the Speakership race, given his generous disposition and responsiveness to members’ welfare, hence the resolve in making the returning and newly elected members support his ambition.
Emmanuel Ukoh
