•We won’t allow parliament to be hijacked, says deputy speaker
Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja
Some prominent aspirants for the office of the speaker of the 10th House of Representatives have forged a formidable alliance with Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara.
The aspirants, who included the outgoing deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Idris Wase; the leader of the House, Hon. Ado Doguwa; Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi and Hon. Sada Soli, were present to show solidarity with Betara, who formally declared his intention to run for speakership in Abuja, yesterday.
Also present at the event were Hon. Umaro Bago, an outgoing member, who is the governor-elect of Niger State and Hon. Mohammed Monguno from Borno State, who is now senator-elect.
There was also a handful of other lawmakers from across the political parties, who graced the occasion.
Coincidentally, the declaration happened on a day the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) named Senator Godswill Akpabio from South-south and Hon. Tajudeen Abass from the North West as its preferred candidates for both the Senate President and the House speaker for the 10th assembly.
Speaking at declaration, Wase said Abass was not known to the members of the House, and faulted his choice by the APC as its consensus candidate.
While calling on lawmakers not to allow the parliament to be hijacked, he noted that while consensus required discussion by critical stakeholders and wide consultations, none of that was done.
“Again, I want to add that we are here to ensure the independence of the parliament. To ensure that we work together. Every Parliamentarian must rise to the occasion. We will work as a team. We will not allow this parliament to be hijacked. We will not allow this parliament to be made a lame duck. I believe we are loyal to our country first. Loyal to our party and loyal to our people.
“When say you you have a consensus candidate, the language for consensus is that there have been mass consultations, people go to table for discussion. There is agreement. In this case, we just saw and we are hearing rumours, speculations that some people have been made consensus candidates. I don’t know whether that is the meaning of consensus. This place is very sacred. We must be honourable in our action in defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Doguwa, on his part, said the parliament must always be allowed to choose its leaders, noting that it was not for outsiders to decide, who leads the House.
According to him, “One message I want to send across is that the parliament is one institution that must always be allowed to choose own leaders. The business of our leadership should be solely our business and no other person’s business.
“In a situation where you have some people in whatsoever guise trying to decide our leadership, to form our leadership from outside without consulting us I think that should be seen as a mere failure. I remain available for consultations until that is done, everyone will answer his father’s name.”
In his speech, Betara, who could not read his prepared speech for want of time, said he was working in tandem with other aspirants for the project.
“My name is Muktar Aliyu Betara. I am from Borno State. Much has been said about Betara. I invited all of you here to declare for the speakership of the 10th Assembly. I am supposed to read this my speech but I think it will take time. All has been said about me. The most important thing today is for me to declare that I am contesting for the speakership.
“Today is our day for members-elect and for former members of the parliament. You are seeing all the aspirants here. They came to support me because we are one family. We are moving as a group. We have been in the system for years. I was a member in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Assemblies,” he said.
