Speakership: G-7 to choose consensus candidate –Betara

• As Wase formally declares intention, Gagdi says it’s turn of North-Central

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Muktar Betara, has said that the group of seven candidates for the speakership of the 10th assembly will work together for one of them to emerge as the leader of the House in the next dispensation.

Betara, who stated this on Friday, in Abuja, at the formal declaration of the deputy speaker, Idris Wase, for the speakership seat, said there would not be any problem among them.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership had endorsed Tajudeen Abass, as its consensus candidate for the speakership position. However, the endorsement was greeted with protest, with the G-7 consisting of Wase, Betara, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Yusuf Gagdi, Sada Soli, Aminu Jaji and Mariam Onuoha faulting the party’s decision.

Nevertheless, Betara, while addressing the gathering, which has members-elect and serving members, as well as former members and six of the G-7 members said: “A consensus candidate can be picked, but it will be by all of us sitting down. I assure everyone that there is not going to be any issue. I assure all of you that we are going to agree to support one of us as Speaker. “

Wase, in his declaration speech, recounted his sacrifice in the interest of the cohesion of the House and declared that it was his turn to be speaker.

The deputy speaker recalled that he had indicated interest in the office of Chief Whip in 2015, but was prevailed to step down for Doguwa, adding that in 2019, he was also prevailed upon by stakeholders to step down for the speaker, Femi Gbjabimiala.

“I was pretty sure that if I have run for Speaker, I would have won. At this point, I would use the words of my leader, Emilokan, Emilokan, Emilokan. (Emilokan means it’s my turn.)

Wase promised to ensure an independent parliament, if elected as speaker, stating that “this we shall do with our colleagues to ensure that the right thing is done if you give me your mandate.”

Meanwhile, another lawmaker-elect, Gagdi has said that giving anything short of a presiding officer of the National Assembly to the North Central will be an unjust reward for their support for the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in the last election.

The speakership hopeful, in a statement, noted only a presiding officer position will be a fair compensation to the zone for their to the ruling party.

He said: “The North-Central region is critical to the electoral coalition of the All Progressives Congress and we will not be ignored. What is happening now is the beginning of a negative trail of extracting votes for the region but neglecting us when it comes to issues of political equity. If we accept it, this will not be the end but the beginning.”