From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
As the race for who leads the 10th House of Representatives hots up, the Campaign Committee of Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara, has faulted the media reports against the speakership aspiration of Betara in the Green Chamber.
Betara, who is one of the potential front-runners in the race, is the lawmaker representing Biu, Bayo, Kwaya Kusara and Shani Federal Constituency of Borno State, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation.
The Committee described the article allegedly published on the pages of some national dailies as ill-motivated, sponsored and shocking, adding it was aimed at smearing the lawmaker and distracting him from concentrating on his aspiration
It noted that the incoming House of Representatives under Betara will promote a legislative dispensation that will accommodate all opinions in the larger interest of all Nigerians.
This was contained in a statement by the Director General of his Campaign Committee, Rt. Hon. Dickson Tarkighir, Member- elect, All Progressives Congress (APC), Markurdi/Guma Federal constituency Benue state..
The statement entitled, ” BETARA’S SPEAKERSHIP ASPIRATION IS DRIVEN BY NIGERIANS, HIS POLITICAL PARTY MEMBERS AND INCOMING COLLEAGUES”, reads:
“Honourable Muktar Betara Campaign Committee wishes to refute in very strong terms the ill-motivated, sponsored, bile intentioned and untruth allusion that the Speakership aspiration is been driven by a group of people.
” This ill-motivated and sponsored article which made it into the front pages of some national newspapers is shocking and disturbing, and obviously has one objective, which is to pitch this collective aspiration, the person of Honourable Betara and his teeming supporters against our political party, our leaders, our constituents and our broad based spectrum of well wishers among the entire returning and newly elected Members and indeed those outside .
” It must be clearly reiterated that Honourable Betara has an untainted, blemish-free and enviable record of political party loyalty, the expression of which was the decision to out of his free volition step down for Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila in 2019 and wholesomely backed him to win and ultimately run a harmonious 9th assembly House of Representatives till date.
“Honourable Aliyu Muktar Betara has not and will not veer off this course.
” It needs to be clearly stated that his joining the 10th assembly Speakership race now is not fuelled by personal ambition, therefore lacks any iota of desperation that will inform working at variance with normal expectations of his political party.
” The council wishes to reiterate Honourable Betara’s commitment to his party, the All Progressives Congress, that he joined hands with many party faithful to work hard to build leading to the victory for the President-Elect and all other posts as contested for on the platform of the party.
“The Speakership race is a national one, that will naturally attract interests of many compatriots across all divides and inclination, definitely not excluding the Honourable Members-Elect from other parties who also will have a say according to the fine details and principles of democracy.
“This Speakership aspiration recognises all these realities without compromising the expectations of his political party.
“The ultimate purpose and vision is to ensure that the 10th assembly House of Representatives will be one united, indivisible assembly that will work harmoniously with all arms of Government, particularly the Federal Government led by His Excellency, the President- Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to enable us meet the huge expectations of our countrymen and women.
“The 10th assembly House of Representatives insha Allah under Honourable Aliyu Muktar Betara, will promote a legislative dispensation that will accommodate all opinions in the larger interest of all Nigerians, in our journey to a stronger, more prosperous, indivisible, and united nation starting from the parliament.”