Reps Speakership: North-East group begs Betara to step down

As the race for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives goes on, a group has appealed to one of the contenders, Honourable Mukhtar Aliyu Betara to step down for Tajudeen Abbas.

 

The political pressure group, North-East Advancement for Good Governance, led by its Coordinator, Hamza Ukkasha, made the appeal at a press conference held in Bauchi.

According to Ukkasha, the appeal became imperative for reasons of equity, fair play, national unity and cohesion in view of the fact that the party and the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have both given the North-East subregion the opportunity to produce the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima.

 

“We strongly appeal and call on Hon. Betara, in the name of patriotism, recognition of ethnic divisions, national cohesion and the greater good of the North-East people, to emulate competent colleagues who have stepped down for Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas and help ensure the smooth take off of the Asiwaju administration,” the group’s coordinator said.

 

Ukkasha added that, “it is no longer news that the 2023 general elections have come and gone, leaving behind a discussion that requires all hands to be on deck to safeguard the peace and unity of Nigeria.

 

“The above mentioned is the reason we are all here once again to air our voice as North East Advancement for Good Governance on which region should get what for justice, fairness and equity.

"First of all, we want to join other leaders and the party leadership in their decision to zone the office of the Speaker to the North West.

 

“This is an undeniable response to goodwill poured out by the people of the region towards the election of Tinubu/ Shettima ticket in the last general election.

 

“The need to add our voice to this ongoing conversation became necessary, considering the fact that the party and the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have both given the North-East subregion the opportunity to produce the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima.”

 

According to Ukkasha, the group would have preferred a situation whereby the North-East subregion produced many officials, including the Speaker, House of Representatives, in the Tinubu presidency, asserting that the intricacies of national unity and social cohesion made it expedient for the group to call on party faithful to allow other zones to produce the Speaker.

 

Ukkasha then commended APC’s National Working Committee led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu for its choice of Abbas as the next Speaker after wide consultations with stakeholders, including the President-elect.