By Gift Chapi-Odekina
Rep. Muktar Betara, one of the Speakership aspirant for the position of the Speaker 10th House of Representatives, has assured all Members-elect across party lines of his resolve to carry everybody along if elected.
Rep. 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, respectively.
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 members-elect to advance his campaign
Photographs sighted shows the Borno-lawmaker meeting and interacting with fellow lawmakers at his apartment in the holy city of Makkah on Monday evening.
Some of the Members-elect who attended the meeting pledged unflinching support for Hon. Betara, applauded his leadership quality and support provided over the years to his contemporaries irrespective of religious, ethnic and party affiliation.
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 played by Rt. 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 ambitions of becoming the Speaker in the previous Assemblies and as a loyal party-man aligned with the Party’s zoning arrangement.
“For those in the know of how things panned out in the outgoing Assembly, I can tell you for free that Honourable Betara played significant role in averting serious crises althrough, which helped in stabilizing this Assembly.
“But as human beings, we are not too surprised what is playing out now. As you can see, so many of them forget so soon.
“Let me ask you this question, have you ever seen Honourable Betara bully any of his Colleagues either as the Chairman of Defence or Appropriations? But all we are asking for is that the Members-elect should be allowed to exercise their franchise as provided by the Standing Order and relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“For us as a formidable Team and Caucuses, we have all it takes to rally required support for Honourable Betara and of 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 the Speakership race, given his generous disposition and responsiveness to members’ welfare, hence the resolve of making the returning and newly elected to support his ambition.
