Rep. Aliyu Betara, one of the leading aspirants for the seat of the speakership of the House of Representatives, says the G7 will determine who emerges as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mr Betara said this at the formal declaration of the speakership of a member of the G7, Rep. Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, in Abuja.

He said their group would arrive at a consensus on who is best suited to preside over the proceedings of the House in the 10th assembly.

Mr Betara described Mr Wase as a brother and a comrade equally qualified to preside over the house.

“For us, we formed this group because we are opposed to the zoning arrangement of the party, we are not fighting, and we would not fight. We are in support of a consensus candidate.

“We can pick the candidate from among ourselves, but if we all sit down and decide on it. I assure all of you it is only one person that God would choose to be Speaker.

“I assure you that we are not going to have any issue. We are going to agree to support one of us as the Speaker,” he said.

The G7 are a group of aspirants for the 10th National Assembly speaker, opposed to the consensus candidate the APC chose.

Members of the group are Messrs Betara and Wase, Sada Soli, Miriam Onuoha, Yusuf Gagdi, Sani Jaji and Alhassan Ado-Doguwa.

Mr Sada Soli, on his part, said there was a need for fairness, inclusivity and respect for diversity in arriving at the choice of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He called on members-elect to strive to protect the sanctity and freedom of the institution of the legislature.

Mr Gagdi also warned against a rubber-stamped Assembly that would take directives from forces outside the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly.

(NAN)