By: Taiwo Amodu, Abuja
Former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker/ ExtraOrdinary Convention Planning Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, has said the time has come for the stakeholders in the ruling party to reward Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Idris Wase for his loyalty.
Governor Buni made the declaration on Wednesday when Wase, who is aspiring for the office of Speaker in the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly led some of his colleagues to meet the Yobe Governor as part of wider consultations with governors.
Receiving his guests at his private residence in Abuja, Governor Buni, who recalled the sacrifice made by Wase for the incumbent Speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila to emerge in 2019 to lead the 9th House of Representatives, said Honourable Wase deserved the exalted office, considering his capacity.
He said: “We in the APC and indeed the House of Representatives need you more than you need because there is no better time than now for us in the party to pay you back for your loyalty than now.
“Experience is not studied in the university; it evolves from institutional participation and entrenched ideas which you already have. For us, we know you will work based on experience because you are prepared more than any other.
“You didn’t need to come, I will work for you because to whom much is given, much is expected. You listened to us and stepped down when I was National Secretary even before the president, he knew about it and it is now time for us to reciprocate your gesture; someone must step down for you this time around”, the Yobe governor said.
Meanwhile, a group pushing for the emergence of Chairman House Committee on Appropriation and member, representing Biu, Bayo, Kwaya Kusar, Shani Federal Constituency of Borno State in the House of Representatives,Muktar Betara as Speaker has urged the aspirant not to withdraw from the race, even if the position of Speaker was zoned out of the North East region.
A statement signed by the national coordinator of National Patriotic Mandate, Mallam Maigari Al- Amin said it was aware of a plot by a certain power bloc within the party to ensure that Betara is precluded from the race by zoning the position of Speaker out of the North East.
He said:” We are watching the events that are going on and we can see that some influential leaders are making deft moves to zone the northeast out the speakership race and hereby say that our principal, Betara, Insha Allah shall become the speaker because nobody can cow us and even convince us to stop this project. We shall fight on and win whether the party zones to north east or not. “
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