“We strongly appeal and call on Hon. Betara, in the name of patriotism, recognition of ethnic divisions, national cohesion, and the greater good of the North-East people, to emulate competent colleagues who have stepped down for Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas and help ensure the smooth takeoff of the Asiwaju administration,” said the group’s coordinator.
As the battle for the position of Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives rages, a faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has asked one of the candidates, Honourable Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, to step down in favour of Tajudeen Abbas.
The North-East Advancement for Good Governance, led by its Coordinator, Hamza Ukkasha, made the call at a news conference in Bauchi.
According to Ukkasha, “the appeal became necessary for reasons of equity, fair play, national unity, and cohesion, given that the party and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, both gave the North-East subregion the opportunity to produce Senator Kashim Shettima.
Zoning To North-west
“We strongly appeal and call on Hon. Betara, in the name of patriotism, recognition of ethnic divisions, national cohesion, and the greater good of the North-East people, to emulate competent colleagues who have stepped down for Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas and help ensure the smooth takeoff of the Asiwaju administration.
“It is no longer news that the 2023 general elections have come and gone, leaving behind a discussion that requires all hands on deck to safeguard Nigeria’s peace and unity,” Ukkasha remarked.
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Furthermore, the group aligned with other leaders and the party leadership in their decision to zone the Speaker’s office to the North West.
“This is an undeniable response to the region’s goodwill toward the Tinubu/Shettima ticket’s election in the last general election.
“The need to add our voice to this ongoing conversation became necessary, given that the party and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have both given the North-East subregion the opportunity to produce Senator Kashim Shettima as Vice President-elect.
“The group would have preferred a situation in which the North-East subregion produced many officials in the Tinubu presidency, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Because of the complexities of national unity and social cohesion, the group decided to call on party faithful to allow other zones to produce the Speaker,” Ukkash said.
Ukkasha then praised the APC’s National Working Committee, chaired by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, for selecting Abbas as the new Speaker following extensive deliberations with stakeholders, including the President-elect.
