A contender in the 10th House of Representatives Speakership race, Aliyu Muktar Betara, has intensified his consultations on the sideline of his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj, Daily Trust reports.
The Borno-lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on Appropriation, is currently in the holy land to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah) ahead of the completion of the Ramadan fast.
It was learned that the lawmaker is using the opportunity to meet and consult members-elect of Muslim extraction to intensify the campaign for the Speakership seat.
Some photographs seen by our reporter showed Betara meeting and interacting with state and zonal caucuses members in the holy city of Makkah on Monday evening.
Betara’s associates described him as one of the most popular aspirants eyeing the Speakership seat, given his generous disposition and responsiveness to members’ welfare, making many of the returning and newly elected members rooting for his leadership qualities.
This was even as he recently assured all members-elect across party lines of his resolve to carry everybody along if elected.
At the meeting attended by returning and newly elected National Assembly members from Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa and Bauchi States, the members pledged unflinching support for Betara and applauded his leadership quality and support provided over the years to his contemporaries irrespective of religious, ethnic and party affiliation.
