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Nigeria@64: Speaker Abbas shares 1,000 bags of rice, others to Abuja IDPs
…says Nigeria needs to prioritise quality assurance in public schools
…lectures school children on unity, patriotism, hard work on 59th birthday
As part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary and his 59th birthday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, on Tuesday, reached out to some internally displaced persons at Kabusa community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Speaker, who led a delegation comprising the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu; Chief Whip, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo, and other members of the House to the IDPs’ camp, said he was moved by their plight.
Speaker Abbas gave out a total of 1,000 bags of 10kg rice, 200 cartons of noodles, over 800 pieces of clothes for men and women, as well as bedsheets.
He was supported by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Also at the humanitarian ceremony, Speaker Abbas provided free medical services for IDPs with certain ailments.
Meanwhile, Speaker Abbas had earlier in the day hosted students from six public secondary schools in the FCT for an interaction, where he responded to questions from the students.
At the interaction, which lasted for over an hour, the Speaker said for Nigeria’s education sector to return to its glory days, adequate supervision and quality assurance in public schools must be prioritised by those tasked with the duties of running the sector.
He decried the largely unregulated and proliferation of private schools, which he said had led to an unacceptable decay in public schools across the country, saying “even teachers teaching in public schools now have their children in private schools because they don’t even believe in what they are doing for a living.”
He added: “When we were growing up, there was no such thing as private school because everyone, including the Emir, the Commissioner, the Minister and the biggest business tycoon in the town had to take their children to the available public schools, everyone was interested in what happened there. And for that reason, there was strict and adequate supervision of the teachers and those running the schools, which was why the standard was very high. But today it’s a different story altogether because even government officials no longer take their children to public schools due to the proliferation of private schools and the decline of standard in public schools,” Speaker Abbas said.
The Speaker advised the students to imbibe the culture of hard work, which is an aspect of patriotism, saying that though their generation has access to smart ways of doing things, that has also made them to cultivate the habit of following shortcuts to success.
“You have to imbibe the culture of hard work if you want your patriotism to impact on Nigeria. However, the current generation is a smart one that likes to use the shortcut to success without following due process. So please try to pay attention to details and follow due process. Also believe in yourself and work hard. It worked for me.”
Speaker Abbas also harped on the importance of believing in oneself, recalling how he became self-reliant at a very young age after his secondary school education to becoming a teacher, up to the point where he became a homeowner at 19.
“Because I was trained to be a teacher and after my secondary school I went straight into the classroom. Since then, I never asked for (financial) assistance from my parents, and I became a homeowner at the age of 19. I remember the shock on my father’s face when I told him I was going for my youth service because he never knew I was in the University. Because I believed in myself and doing better for myself, I took the challenge of going further on my own without actually having to bother my parents again.”
Also stressing the importance of unity in diversity, Speaker Abbas urged the students to love their country as they love themselves, saying the concept of loving one’s neighbour as one’s-self eschews any element of ethnicity, tribalism and religious sentiment.
“When you love your neighbor the way you love yourself, relate with others the way you want them to relate with you, then your patriotism is well on its way to fruition. I look at every Nigerian, male or female, as one and the same. I look at your character as a factor for a good and purposeful relationship.
“If you look at my family background you will not see any issues of religious bias and even among my constituents so if you go to every religious sect in my constituency, you will see that I relate with them on equal basis. And same thing with the House. We are brothers, we see each other as brothers and as one. So children if you want your future to be better than what we have now, you must strive to eradicate the disease of ethnicity, religious sentiment and look at the greater picture. I take delight in the way I see you, both northerners and southerners, you are like children from the same parents and I urge you to maintain that,” he said.
The students who were drawn from public secondary schools in the six Area Councils of the FCT made various presentations, including technological innovations as birthday gifts to the Speaker.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Thursday hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for rejecting a petition to recall her as the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The lawmaker, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said the electoral umpire should have thrown out the petition long before it did on April 3, 2025.
“I’m a lawyer. I’m a senator and I understand how Nigeria works. For me, the most important thing is this recall process has been stalled.
“I give kudos and credit to INEC even though I believe they should have thrown it away from the get-go.
“I think it was void ab initio because there is no law in the Electoral Act that says a petition should be discarded just because there is no address but again, what if the address is false?”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain argued that most of the addresses provided in the petition for her recall were false because most houses in her district weren’t labelled.
Even though INEC did count 208,000 signatures, I bet you if they had gone into the verification stage, they would have struggled to even have 500 people come out to attest to signing that,” she added.
…hosts Delegation Of Rivers NASS Caucus
The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas, has said that an appropriation bill for 2025 is being articulated to provide for critical development concerns in healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and infrastructure.
Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibas also said that the anticipated budget will cater to creating more employment opportunities for Rivers people and advance delivery of technology in critical facets of public life.
The administrator gave the hint when he hosted the delegation of Rivers State caucus at the National Assembly, led by Dr Barinada Mpigi, the Senator representing Rivers South-East District, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Those on the delegation included Senator Allwell Onyesoh, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, Hon Dumnamene Dekor, Hon Solomon Bob, Hon Cyril Godwin Hart,
Hon Blessing Amadi, Hon. Felix Nwaeke, Hon Kelechi Nwogu, and Hon Victor Obuzor
Ibas said he has been resolute, since assumption of office, to restore law and order, and with support from the security agencies, an environment has been created where Rivers residents feel valued and safer.
The Administrator stated that the commitment is to make Rivers a model of peace in the comity of States, with a stable economy and citizens courageous to pursue their livelihood without fear or molestation.
“In addition to our peace building efforts, we are also focused on the economic stability and development of Rivers State.
“Since the Supreme Court verdict on the state’s budget, we have acted swiftly and decided to put together a new budget that reflects our commitment to healthcare, education, social services, and continued infrastructural development.
“We have worked diligently to ensure that the process is transparent, inclusive, and most importantly expedited. Our goal is to ensure that we do not lose any more time in making the necessary investments that will improve the lives of citizens.”
Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibas stated: “The budget which is been finalized focuses on creating job opportunities and investing in key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and technology.
“We understand the urgency of this initiative, and we are committed to ensuring that they are implemented without delay.”
The Administrator noted that to get the task done, the support of the legislators will be required as key representatives of Rivers State in the National Assembly.
He sued for their assistance in securing the necessary resources and legislative backing that would bring the initiative of his administration to fruition.
“Your partnership is critical to success in ensuring that Rivers State remains on the path of progress and enduring peace for future generations.”
He explained that in the face of the challenges that beset Rivers, which led to the State of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu, dialogue, community engagement and reconciliation were deplored to build trust among the citizenry.
He noted that the people of Rivers State have shown incredible resilience and patience in the efforts taken so far to restore the State back to the path of peace and respect for the law.
Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibas assured that his administration remains committed to achieving enduring peace for the state.
He said: “Beyond security, we have prioritised community engagements as a central part of our strategy. Dialogue, reconciliation, and inclusivity have been key to building trust among our people.
“We are determined to strengthen the bond of unity in Rivers State and to foster an environment where every citizen feels valued, heard, and respected. Together, we are making strides in ensuring that peace becomes a permanent feature of our state.”
Responding, Senator Barinada Mpigi, representing Rivers South-East District, said they are dedicated representatives of Rivers people at the National Assembly and resolved to support all efforts that will bring development to the State.
While commending the administrator for the modest successes he had achieved so far, Senator Mpigi pledged the support and cooperation of the legislators to ensure the return of the state on the path of law and order.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Dakar, Senegal for official assignment.
The VP is expected to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the West African nation’s 65th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Senegal marks its Independence Day on April 4 each year, commemorating its liberation from French colonial rule in 1960.
The annual celebration is a significant event featuring national parades, cultural displays, and ceremonies highlighting the country’s achievements and unity.
A statement issued on Thursday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima’s participation followed an official invitation from Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
This underscored the strong diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and Senegal.
The two nations share longstanding relations, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), fostering cooperation on regional security, trade, and development initiatives.
The event is expected to reaffirm Senegal’s commitment to democratic governance and regional cooperation.
Vice President Shettima is scheduled to return to Nigeria immediately after the one-day celebrations, continuing his engagements in national development and diplomatic outreach.
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