A group of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers have rejected the party’s favourite candidate for the 10th House of Representatives speaker to endorse Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara as their preferred candidate.
OsunDaily News understands that the ruling party had endorsed the chairman House Committee on Land Transport, Tajudeen Abass and the chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Benjamin Kalu, as its preferred candidates for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the 10th House.
However, barely three days to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, a support organisation in the APC under the aegis of Progressive Support Group on Saturday, urged lawmakers and Nigerians to reject attempts by the party to impose a leadership position.
Doing this, they said, became necessary to avoid truncating the nation’s democracy and pocketing the parliament away from meeting their constituted roles to the electorates.
In a statement through their spokesperson, Silas Audu Wettok, the group admonished their fellow colleagues to consider the national interest of the country first, noting that Nigeria is more significant than any political group or individual.
OsunDaily News understands that the Betara’s camp condemned the APC’s endorsement of another candidate, describing it as an attempt by external forces to hijack the House in the next political dispensation.
Consequently, Wettok urged members-elect to throw their weight behind the member representing Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency of Borno state, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, for the position of Speaker in the 10th National Assembly.
He alleged that while the majority of Nigerians want to see total transparency, accountability and fairness within the three tiers of government, some self-centred individuals are strategizing to manipulate the system for their personal gains.
He said, “This is what some of us will never permit in our days and are guaranteed that most Nigerians are with us and will continue to support this course and ready to defend their rights as captured in the quote “The government of the people, by the people and for the people.
“The 9th Assembly has just come to the end of their assignments and all eyes are waiting anxiously for the inauguration of the 10th Assembly which in the next few days will be carried out by the President and Commander In-chief. We specially register here today our resolve for your records and contributions as the case may be.
“For the nation to truly upgrade in delivery and sustainable impact in the emerging legislative governance in this dispensation, the Progressive Support Group wants to draw the attention of all well-meaning Nigerians to resist any form of imposition of candidate either at the upper or lower House of these two Hallowed Chambers.
“This is to avoid the truncating of the tenets of democracy and the pocketing of the parliament away from meeting their constituted roles to the electorates.
“As a political support group and progressive Nigerians, we anticipate that the House this time should be led by a charismatic, courageous and more importantly, someone with experienced and capacity to lead appropriately. Because the interest of this great country should always be considered first since Nigeria is bigger than any political group or individual.
“Just after the general elections in March, the Progressive Support Group embark on a massive consultation across the 36 states of the federation and FCT. in search for a suitable candidate to lead especially the lower Chamber of the National Assembly which is closer to the people than the upper House.
“Our research team and consultants came up with a name of someone we believe to be neutral, humble and ready to go with the Nigeria project.
“He is the best-performing member in delivering on constituency projects and other legislative actions, including the sponsoring of community compatible bills in recent times and has exhibited leadership qualities over the years at the National Assembly till date.”
