From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
A group of House of Representatives members-elect has endorsed the chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Muktar Betara, for the speakership of the Green chamber in the 10th assembly.
The members-elect, on the aegis of New Vision, after a meeting, in Abuja, said Betara, who currently represents Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency of Borno state, is the most qualified among the contenders for the speakership position.
The lawmakers-elect, drawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), amongst others said they been moving across the country to garner support for the speakership bid of the Appropriations Committee chairman.
The member-elect from Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwara federal constituency, Cross River, Peter Akpanke, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they have interacted with most of the contenders for the speakership seat and it is only Betara that has showed sincere commitment to work with the Executive Arm of government, in addressing the challenges confronting the country.
Akpanke, while stating that the lawmakers would vehemently reject imposition of speaker on them, noted that the National Assembly is an independent arm and members must be allowed to chose their leaders.
According to him, “we have had an interface with all the people running for speakership in the 10th assembly. We met with all of them one-on-one; but we chose Betara because when we met him, he spoke the minds of the members and how the 10th assembly is going to be independent.
“He also spoke on how projects are going to get to federal constituency, how budgets are going to be executed and how he will collaborate with the executive to make sure that projects are funded, issue of insecurity and employment are tackled, all for the betterment of Nigerians.
“So the new vision group decided to stand behind him. We have been going round the geopolitical zones to interface and lobby members-elect to support this cause. So, in the meeting with our colleagues from South-South, all of us resolved that no matter the pressure, we should support Betara based on his antecedents. ”