Minority Caucus Splits As Faction Endorses Betara

The Minority Caucus of house of representatives for the 10th Assembly is in disarray as a faction has endorsed Muktar Betara, a lawmaker from Borno state.

Revealing this on Tuesday, Peter Akpanke, a house of representatives member-elect, representing Bekwara/Obudu/Obanliku federal constituency in Cross River State said the decision was informed by Betara’s “intimidating credentials.”

Betara, is from Borno state like the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima.

But his counterpart, Idu Igariwey, a ranking PDP member from Ebonyi State, and Alhassan Rurum, a member of the NNPP from Kano State, who were until Tuesday members of the minority caucus endorsed the anointed aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna State.

The splinter group led by Igariwey and Rurum in a statement said, “That in furtherance of our resolve to play a leading role in the formation of the leadership of the 10th Assembly and as a result of our diligent interactions with all aspirants for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, we hereby resolve to support the duo of the Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu, respectively as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“That we have found in the two persons of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, a leadership that will allow for fairness and equity as well as provide an equal platform for all political parties represented in Parliament to have a say in the running of the legislature and expression of alternate views on issues of public interest.

“That in the next few days we will be meeting in a larger caucus of the minority parties to discuss and formalise the adoption of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker designates of the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives,” the communique reads.

But another group of the minority caucus led by Fred Agbedi, PDP member from Bayelsa State, met at Fraser Suites, Abuja on Monday night announced that they were working on a plan to get a suitable candidate.

Akpanke is a member of the Agbedi group just like Godwin Offiono, a member-elect for Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, who told THE WHISTLER on Tuesday evening that the minority caucus under the banner New Vision has endorsed Betara.

He explained in an exclusive interview with our Correspondent that, “The group to my knowledge that has endorsed Betara is NEW VISION, which houses all new members-elect.

“It has about 280 members, though recently it has lost some few members, to some aspirants,” he said.

Akpanke in a statement said, “We unanimously agreed that the country needs someone with the ability and capacity to unify the country, the competence and skills to drive an effective and productive legislature, a bridge builder between the other arms of government and above all, a man with serene humility, character and fear of God in discharging the duties associated with the office. That person is no other than Rt. Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu (OON).

“The members-elect of the house minority caucus in the 10th assembly unanimously resolved to mobilise support and reach out to more members from their zones, with detailed facts of Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu’s solid and intimidating antecedents with regards to his legislative prowess over the years thus, singling him out as the suitable person over other contestants.”