By Gloria Ikibah
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The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has reaffirmed that the 10th House remains dedicated to ensuring that its legislative agenda reflects the evolving priorities of Nigerians.
According to the Speaker, engaging directly with citizens remains central to this commitment, as it offers valuable insights for developing policies that effectively respond to pressing public concerns.
Speaker Abbas stated this on Friday in Zaria during a Citizens’ Roundtable convened with the House leadership for stakeholders across the Northern region. The event received support from the Ford Foundation in collaboration with Global Rights.
Delivering the Speaker’s remarks, the Leader of the Northern Caucus, Rep. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who also chairs the House Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) noted that the House has broadened its citizens’ engagement efforts to cover all geopolitical zones in the country.
He said, “We acknowledge that the voices of the citizenry are of paramount significance, serving as the solemn foundation upon which impactful legislations, transformative policies, and consequential decisions are made and enacted.
“Our steadfast commitment to a flourishing democracy is deeply entrenched in the principle of active and meaningful civic engagement because we are convinced that a forum such as this, characterized by unfettered dialogue, the intellectual exchange of ideas, and incisive constructive critique, is vital in equipping the leadership of our nation to adeptly handle the complexities of governance, steering the state towards sustained progress and collective prosperity”.
Speaker Abbas stressed that having studied and identified the challenges of previous assemblies in actualizing people-focused agenda through adequate feedback mechanism, the 10th House decided to hear from the people directly.
“The roundtable, therefore, embodies our resolute dedication to cultivating a robust and symbiotic relationship between the House and the citizenry. It is proof that our determination to ensure that governance remains inclusive, reflective, and attuned to the aspirations of those whose mandate we are privileged to uphold.”
“This roundtable is evidence that our dedication to fostering a dynamic and symbiotic relationship between the 10th House and the people is yielding results. Today’s event shows our resolve to engage directly with the citizenry, listening attentively to their concerns, suggestions, and aspirations,” the Speaker said.
He said the initiative, which began in December 2024, was borne out of the need for a shift in the legislative paradigm of speaking for the people to speaking with the people, with a view to cultivating their collective perspectives on issues of public importance.
“As reiterated during the maiden ‘State of the House’ on December 20, 2024, and the last roundtable in Abuja two weeks ago, we are not only elected to speak for the people but must also speak with them and amplify their voices. This gathering, therefore, validates our pledge to nurture collaboration, inviting participants to share incisive perspectives, propose viable solutions, and enrich our legislative agenda with their invaluable contributions. It is also an opportunity for us to share with them about what we have done as their representatives, both within and outside the chamber.
Speaker Abbas thanked the people of Zaria Federal Constituency for trusting him with their mandate, saying that it is only proper to reciprocate their support by facilitating direct interactions where he can render accounts of his stewardship to them.
“As holders of people’s mandate and trust, I cherish opportunities to engage with my dear people and account for my stewardship. I sincerely want to appreciate the good people of Zaria Federal Constituency for trusting me with their mandate and sending me on errands for the past fourteen years as their representative at the Green Chamber. I am the Speaker of the 10th House today because of the Mercy of the Almighty Allah and the confidence that my dear people reposed in me.
“This forum now offers me an opportunity to say thank you to my constituents and also brief them on what I have been able to do for them in the past twenty-four months, some of which will be commissioned during my meeting with them tomorrow. I hereby invite you to join me to celebrate with my constituents tomorrow,” he said.
The event had in attendance representatives of Ministers, traditional rulers, the 19 Northern states, the Interfaith Council, civil society organizations, the academia, Farmer groups, market traders, students bodies, persons with disabilities as well as the Media, who expressed diverse opinions on the achievements of the 10th Assembly and the way forward on areas requiring actions and improvements.
Speaking at the event, the Programmes Manager of Global Rights, Mr. Edosa Eviarhe, said, “strong democracies are built on representative governance where the people have a say in how they are governed.”
He noted the expansion of the citizens’ engagement to include geopolitical zones was a noble idea that would make Nigerians to have the opportunity to be heard.
He urged the participants to bring out issues that they feel are critical to the growth and development of their communities to further enrich the focus of the legislative agenda of the House as the new legislative year commences.
There were goodwill messages from the representatives of the ministers of defence, power, and state for education, as well as the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kaduna State chapter.
The Ford Foundation, through the Global Rights, had on June 11 supported the House to organize the citizens’ roundtable in Abuja with a promise to do the same for the Northern and Southern regions. The one for the southern zone is in the works.
