House Speaker: Buni Backs Wase

Former acting national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni yesterday backed the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase to emerge as the House Speaker in the 10th National Assembly.

Buni who stated this while receiving Wase and his team at his Abuja, said the party and the House of Representatives needs Wase because of his loyalty and experience.

Meanwhile, another aspirant for the speakership position, Muktar Betara has insisted on contesting the seat even if the party fails to zone it to the North East geopolitical region where he hails from.

Betara, in a statement issued by his campaign group, Betara National Patriotic Mandate said he was aware of “deft moves” by some influential leaders to zone the North-East out of the speakership race.

The statement signed by the national coordinator of the group, Mallam Maigari Al- Amin 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 the north east or not.”

However, Governor Buni while addressing Wase and his team at his in Abuja, 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.