From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Muktar Betara, has met with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, over his speakership bid.
According to a statement by Betara’s media office, the consultative visit took place at his new official residence at the Defence House in Abuja, following the latter’s return from vacations and the Muslim lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Betara, who represents Biu/Bayo/Shani and Kwaya Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State is a front runner for the leadership of the House.
A short video clip, released, alongside the statement, indicated that the speakership aspirant met with Tinubu, on Wednesday morning. In the last few weeks, the Appropriations Committee chairman has stepped up his consultations with party leaders, members-elect , former members and critical stakeholders ahead of the inauguration of the 10th assembly in June.
Meanwhile, a group of former lawmakers has cautioned political parties and executive arm against interfering with the election of presiding officers of the National Assembly in the 10th assembly.
The ex-lawmakers in a statement by a member of the House in the eight assembly, Timothy Golu, said the imposition of leadership on the legislature by the Executive Arm of government has never been in the interest of the parliament.
Golu noted that “it is no longer fashionable for the Executive to interfere with the leadership decisions of the legislatures at any level.” Legislators have come of age in the country and must be allowed to do their things.
“Where we have people elected and you want to decide for them their leadership is in itself undemocratic. The experiences of the legislature are quite different from those of the executive.”
“President and Governors- Elect should refrain from deciding for the legislators who becomes their Speakers. Most times those imposed don’t last and where they do, they don’t perform because of distractions and anxiety or fear of survival or incompetence.
“We must not continue in this way. Political parties must stay away from causing legislative instability in our legislatures under the guise of deciding their leadership. This has not augur well for our democracy.
“Where legislative leaderships emerged through popular decisions of the lawmakers, productivity, mutual respect, understanding and cohesion are visibly the results.”