Prior to the June 5 inauguration, the Member of Parliament for Borno’s Biu/Bayo/Shani and Kwaya Kusar Federal Constituency, Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu, made it official on Monday that he intended to run for Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.
On Monday in Abuja, Betara, the current Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, announced his desire to run for the top spot in the house.
Betara was accompanied by other candidates at the Transcorp Hilton hotel event, including Rep. Ahmed Wase, Deputy Speaker, Rep. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Leader of the House, Rep. Sani Jaji, and Rep. Tunji Olawuyi.
Other present at the venue in solidarity was the Niger Governor-elect, Rep Umaru Bago, who is a serving lawmaker and a close ally of Betara.
Other members-elect from across party divides were also at the venue.
The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress on May 8 officially zoned the position of the speaker to the North-West, while the Deputy Speaker was zoned to the South-East.
Meanwhile, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen (APC-Kaduna) was chosen to succeed Gbajabiamila in the 10th assembly while Rep Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia) was chosen as the Deputy Speaker.
Reacting to the development at his declaration, Betara vowed to go ahead to contest for the during.
He said it was a surprise to him when Gbajabiamila nominated Abass when many other members had indicated interest in the position.
“If today, the deputy speaker of the house is contesting, the chairman of the appropriation committee is contesting, the majority leader is contesting, then who’s closer (in rank) to the speaker,” he asked.
Security agents had a hectic time checkmating unruly party supporters from the different parties who were at the venue of the declaration.