People are making resolutions for the upcoming year at this time of year. Resolutions are essentially priorities that people make for themselves and others for a year. They might affect them in the short and/or long term.
Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., Speaker of the House of Representatives, will motivate the 10th House to have a good impact on Nigerians in 2025 by exercising purposeful leadership. He has been graciously leading the House since June 13, 2023, and it will accomplish this through a variety of legislative initiatives.
These initiatives stem from the 10th House’s Legislative Agenda, a comprehensive and strong policy document that mainly lays out the Parliament’s goals through 2027. The House’s manifesto has been pushed through by Speaker Abbas, and more is anticipated in the next year.
Throughout several forums and on numerous occasions, both official and informal, the Speaker has consistently emphasized his intention to bring about substantial reforms in the legislative system and the nation at large. He demonstrated this in 2024 with audacious actions. Additionally, he promised that Nigerians will continue to take these actions, if not more, in the coming year.
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2024 will be aptly referred to as Speaker Abbas’ Year of Advocacy. The Speaker personally spearheaded a number of programs to include and empower women in national politics and governance. Young Nigerians were also motivated by him to be honest, hardworking, and leaders.
The Speaker publicly referred to himself as a #HeForShe, and even international organizations have recognized him for his fearless gender-based initiatives and advocacy. Last year, he met with young people in Nigeria twice. In the past year, there have been numerous stakeholder engagements on a range of national concerns.
In addition to his World Press Conference on February 8, 2024, which was the first of its kind by a speaker, there were engagements on the Review of the 1999 Constitution to receive memoranda from stakeholders on amendment bills; a “Town Hall with youth groups and organizations” to hear the hopes and dreams of young Nigerians; a national dialogue on state policing to receive ideas from stakeholders on the proposed decentralization of the current unitary Nigeria Police Force; and the first-ever live citizens’ engagement, which enabled Nigerians from all walks of life to engage with the Speaker and the House leadership on the Green Chamber’s operations.
Speaker Abbas made the following announcement at a National Assembly event on March 7, 2024, in honor of International Women’s Day: “Critically, I am leading an amendment to the Police Act 2022 to ensure uniformity in the enlistment requirements for men and women; amend the rule that excludes married women from enlisting in the police and delete the regulation that provides that unmarried women may only marry after they have served in the police for three years, subject to approval from a police commissioner
His decision to celebrate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day anniversary with secondary school students—not from the affluent institutions that dot Abuja, the country’s capital, but the public ones where the lower classes go—was another excellent example. In addition, it was the Speaker’s birthday.
Speaker Abbas engaged in conversation with teenagers. Some of the questions he addressed focused on his profession, education, children’s rights, and his ambitions for Nigerian children. He took the opportunity to tell them about his life, beginning with his modest upbringing and progressing to achieve both political and financial success.
Naturally, Speaker Abbas revealed his intentions to return to teaching after politics, as he was an accountant before entering politics.
Speaker Abbas created history on Thursday, October 10, 2024, when he honored the girl child in plenary by giving up his seat to Ms. Isabel Anani, a 16-year-old gender champion, who led a special session honoring the International Day of the Girl Child.
On Thursday, the last sitting day of the week, the Speaker asked for a big acknowledgment of the female child in plenary, even though the United Nations declared October 11 to be the International Day of the female Child.
Prior to leaving his position, Speaker Abbas stated that the day celebrated the tenacity, talent, and vital role that girls play in creating a brighter future while also highlighting the difficulties that they confront globally.
A resolution was presented under the direction of the “Shadow Speaker,” and it was unanimously approved by the House.
Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, the chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, proposed the resolution, which was titled “Commemoration of the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child.” Hon. Akin Rotimi, the chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, seconded the motion.
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On Monday, November 25, 2024, as part of the 16 Days Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Speaker also led the House’s leadership and members in a historic move to celebrate the 2024 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. “No Excuse for Violence” was the event’s central subject.
Speaking at a walk against gender-based violence (GBV), the Speaker was joined by his wife, Hajiya Fatima Abbas Tajudeen.
The Speaker informed the audience at the National Assembly’s main entrance halfway through the trip that the 10th House was prepared to take more action in the fight against GBV and VAWG.
Speaker Abbas said, “We in the parliament must unite – more than ever before – with the relevant authorities, particularly the law enforcement in order to ensure that we curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum,” characterizing November 25 as “the day of history.”
Following the advocacy train’s departure from the National Assembly Complex, the House delivered a petition to Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, requesting that Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) be properly investigated and prosecuted.
Speaker Abbas twice urged that in future elections, women and men be paired for all elective positions in the Executive arm. According to his argument, a political party should have a female candidate for vice president if its presidential candidate is a man. The same goes for chairperson and governorship roles, and vice versa.
Elsie Attafuah, the UNDP’s Resident Representative in Nigeria, praised the Speaker’s efforts throughout many meetings between the House and her organization.
Additionally, the Speaker received a special advocacy badge from the United Nations Women, led by Dr. Maxime Houinato, its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, in appreciation of his persistent support for the inclusion of more women in politics and government.
In keeping with his steadfast resolve to make a difference and leave a lasting legacy, the Speaker is determined to work carefully and faithfully to improve Nigeria and its citizens in 2025, even though there is still more work to be done.
Baiyewu serves as the House of Representatives Speaker’s chief press secretary.
