By Hassan Jameel
After President Muhamadu Buhari’s tenure ends in May, the North West that massively contributed to the reemergence of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC may have nothing to show for all its efforts.
To this end, the North West is making sure no stone is left unturned towards producing the next Speaker of the House of Representatives to effect a proper balance in the zoning arrangements.
As it stands, the South West has produced the president while the North East has the position of the Vice President.
The North West cumulatively gave 2,950,393 out of the 8,794,726 total votes the APC presidential candidate polled.
This unequalled advantage is what the North West is bringing to the table to have a feel in the sharing formula as it has delivered.
Delivering the highest votes places the zone in a vintage position as the North East already has the number two citizen in its kitty giving the number four position to the same zone may amount inequity of the highest level.
The North West without necessarily looking at the crystal ball has presented the best among the lot in the person of Hon Tajudeen Abass, a P.hd holder and former lecturer who is a fourth timer with towering credentials.
Abass who’s the current Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport created the Accounts Department of Kaduna State University, one time Head of Department and Dean of Faculty is a thorough bred Nigerian legislator with a flair for legislative drafting as it’s on record that in the seventh, eighth and ninth assemblies has the highest number of passed Bills.
In the ninth Assembly alone more than 21 of his Bills were assented to by President Muhamadu Buhari.
A peep at some of his Bills, capital projects and motions:
On bills sponsorship, Tajudeen seems to be first to none in the 9th House of Representative having sponsored 75 bills within the life of the National Assembly.”
The bills he sponsored have direct and indirect positive impacts on his constituents and across the nation, Nigeria. The bills are at various stages. While many of them have passed 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reading. Some of them have also been passed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.”
President Buhari recently signed into law National Blood Transfusion Bill and a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigeria Council for Management Development Act Cap N99 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and National Centre for Economic Management and Administration Act Cap. N14 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Nigeria Council for Management Development Bill 2021 and for Related Matters (HB 1119). These were sponsored by Dr. Tajudeen.”
Others are; Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja,Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi,Federal Medical Centre, Nguru,Federal Medical Centre, Owerri,Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Federal Medical Centre, Wase,Federal Medical Centre, Yenegoa and Federal Medical Centre, Hong.
Apart from FMC Abuja, FMC Wase and FMC Hong, all other Federal Medical Centres listed above were sponsored by Dr. Abbas Tajuddeen.”
MOTIONS:
Multiple statutory violations by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and need for Legislative Intervention to Foster Fiscal Responsibility.
Urgent need to regulate the uncoordinated establishment of Pharmaceutical shops and Medical Clinics in Nigeria.
Need to Investigate the Congestion and Double Parking of Trailers at Maraban Jos in Igabi Local Government and Tafa in Kagarko Local Government Areas of Kaduna State along Zaria – Kaduna – Abuja Express way.”
“Urgent need to initiate Strict measures to address the Menace of Overloading of commercial vehicles on Nigerian Roads.
Need to regulate visiting Lecturing by the National Universities Commission (NUC)
The need to stop Medical Officers in Public Service of the Federation from Engaging in private Medical Practice for personal gains.
The need for Federal Government to re visit the return of toll gates in our Federal Highways for effective maintenance and enhanced security .”
The need for FIRS and other relevant Revenue Generating agencies to employ the use of biometrics in establishing, ascertaining and assessing ownership of Landed properties in Federal Capital Abuja for the purpose of tax and other related matters.”
“The need to investigate the alleged cover-up by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Finance on persons involved with inflating salary/wages of MDA staff as a fallout of the recently introduced IPPIS system.
Urgent need for the House to intervene in the brewing crisis between the Federal Government and ASUU on the implementation of the integrated payroll and personal information system IPPIS in Federal Universities.”
CAPITAL PROJECTS:
Zaria Federal Constituency which Tajudeen represents consists of 13 wards and there are projects executed by this lawmaker on each of these wards (2019 to 2023).
Construction and Equipping of Primary Health Center Bizara, Dambo Ward, Zaria
Construction and Equipping of Modern ICT Centre Amaru, Kwarbai A Ward, Zaria
Construction of 2Blocks of 6Class rooms JSS Dallatu, Dutsen Abba ;Ward,Construction of Solar Powered Borehole with 20,000 Litres Steel Overhead Tank at Magume, Tukur Tukur Ward, Zaria.
Road Rehabilitation from Anguwan Kaya Junction to FCE Junction, Anguwa Kaya, Gyallesu ward, Zaria and hundreds of several others.
Abass who is the Iya Zazau of Zaria is humility personified as his colleagues describe him as unassuming with a listening ear at all times.
The North West has sent a very loud and clear message to all discerning minds in the incoming tenth Reps Assembly that to make the zoning arrangements perfectly gel, an Abass is willing and able.
The House of Representatives is highly divided and a unifying force with integrity as its hallmark is needed to carry everybody along.
He has no baggage or can of worms before and after becoming a politician. He’s truly the kind of pathfinder needed now for Nigeria to move forward.
Hassan Jameel, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.
