It is the season when people reel out their resolutions for the New Year. Resolutions are literally priorities set out by individuals for a year, which may have short-term and/or long-term impact on themselves and others In 2025, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, will use his purposeful leadership to inspire the 10th House to impact Nigerians positively.

This will be done through various legislative interventions by the House; a House he has been graciously heading since June 13, 2023. These interventions are rooted in the Legislative Agenda of the 10th House – a rich and robust policy document that primarily sets out the objectives of the Parliament until 2027.

Speaker Abbas has been causing action on the manifesto of the House, and more is expected in the New Year. At different fora and on several occasions – formal and informal – the Speaker has continued to emphasize his desire to cause significant changes in the legislative system and the country as a whole. In 2024, he made bold moves to prove this.

He has also assured Nigerians of continuing to take such steps – even more – in the new year. It will be appropriate to describe 2024 as Speaker Abbas’ Year of Advocacy. The Speaker personally led various campaigns for the empowerment and inclusion of women in politics and governance of the country.

He also inspired young Nigerians on leadership, diligence, and honesty. The Speaker openly identified himself – and has been decorated by even global bodies – as a #HeForShe based on his daring genderbased advocacy and campaigns. He held two engagements with Nigerian youths last year.

There was a series of stakeholders’ engagements on various issues of national importance in the outgone year. Apart from his World Press Conference of February 8, 2024 – the first of its kind by a speaker – there were engagements on the Review of the 1999 Constitution to welcome memoranda from stakeholders on amendment bills;

‘Town Hall with youth groups and organisations’ to listen to young Nigerians on their yearnings and aspirations; national dialogue on state policing to welcome ideas from stakeholders on the proposed decentralisation of the current unitary Nigeria Police Force, and the first-of-its-kind live citizens’ engagement, which brought together Nigerians from all walks of life to interact with the Speaker and the House leadership on the activities of the Green Chamber.

At an event organised by the National Assembly on March 7, 2024, to commemorate the International Women’s Day, Speaker Abbas had declared:

“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.”

A classical example was also made on October 1, 2024, when he chose to mark Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day anniversary with students of secondary schools – not from the elite schools that liter Abuja, the nation’s capital city, but the public ones where the children of the lower class attend. Coincidentally, it was also the Speaker’s birthday. Speaker Abbas interacted with teenage students.

He answered sundry questions from them, some of which bothered on education, child’s rights, his career, and plans for Nigerian children.

He used the occasion to tell them the story of his life, which started from his humble family background and how he developed himself to financial and political success.

Of course, as an accountant who was a teacher be fore joining politics, Speaker Abbas disclosed his plans to return to the classroom after politics.

History was also made on Thursday, October 10, 2024, when Speaker Abbas honoured the girl-child in plenary by vacating his seat for a 16-year-old gender advocate, Ms. Isabel Anani, who conducted a special session commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child.

While the United Nations designated October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, the Speaker called for a significant recognition of the girl-child in plenary on Thursday – the last sitting day of the week. Before vacating his seat, Speaker Abbas noted that the day highlighted the challenges faced by girls around the world while celebrating their resilience, potential, and crucial role in shaping a better future.

The ‘Shadow Speaker’ presided over the presentation of a motion that the House unanimously adopted. Titled ‘Commemoration of the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child’, it was moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, and seconded by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, the Speaker also led the leadership and members of the House in a remarkable action to commemorate the 2024 celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, under the 16 Days Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

‘No Excuse for Violence’ was the theme for the event. Accompanied by his wife, Hajiya Fatima Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker led a walk against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

Addressing the crowd at the main entrance to the National Assembly, midway into the journey, the Speaker declared that the 10th House was ready to do more in the campaign against GBV and VAWG. While describing November 25 as “the day of history,” Speaker Abbas stated: “We in the parliament must have to unite – more than ever before – with the relevant authorities particularly the law enforcement in ensuring that we curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum.”

The advocacy train moved from the National Assembly Complex to the Force Headquarters, the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, where the House presented a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to demand proper investigation and prosecution of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). On two different occasions, Speaker Abbas advocated for the pairing of women with men for every elective office in the Executive arm in future elections.

He argued that if a presidential candidate of a political party is a male, the vice presidential candidate should be a female, likewise for governorship and chairmanship positions, and vice versa.

The Speaker’s efforts were acknowledged by the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, during different engagements between the House and her organization.

Also, it was in recognition of the Speaker’s consistent advocacy for the inclusion of more women in governance and politics that the United Nations Women led by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato, lauded his efforts and honoured him with a special advocacy badge.

Expectedly, more work lies ahead of the Abbasled House in 2025, and the Speaker is commitment to doing it diligently and faithfully for the betterment of Nigeria and the citizenry, in fulfilment of his unwavering commitment to make a difference and leave an everlasting impact.