Speaker Abbas felicitates APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda on birthday
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has extended warm felicitations to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, on his birthday.
Speaker Abbas said Prof. Yilwatda, a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, who marks his birthday on August 8, is a patriotic Nigerian who has excelled as a politician, academic, and technocrat.
The Speaker, in a congratulatory message through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, noted that Prof. Yilwatda has brought his wealth of experience to the leadership and management of the ruling party.
While noting the peace and stability that the APC has recorded under Prof. Yilwatda as National Chairman, the Speaker said the ruling party has not only won successive elections but now has the significant majority of state governors in its fold.
Commending the APC National Chairman for providing the needed leadership to the National Working Committee, Speaker Abbas expressed confidence in Prof. Yilwatda to drive the party to victory in the coming off-cycle governorship election in Osun State and the 2027 general elections.
The Speaker prayed to God to grant the APC National Chairman longevity and strength, adding that Prof. Yilwatda needs divine grace and wisdom to unite the party before, during, and after the polls.
Speaker Abbas felicitates ex-Governor Makarfi at 70
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has felicitated a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON, on his 70th birthday, saying the celebrant remains one of the “leading political leaders of the state and the North-West geopolitical zone.”
Speaker Abbas, who congratulated Senator Makarfi via a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, described the ex-governor as an elder statesman and a democrat par excellence.
The Speaker noted ex-Governor Makarfi’s contributions to the peace, unity, and prosperity of Kaduna State, stressing that his impacts have been felt across political, religious, and ethnic divides.
Speaker Abbas wished Senator Makarfi longevity while praying to Allah (SWT) to continue to strengthen, bless, guide, and guard the former governor.
Makarfi was Governor of Kaduna State between 1999 and 2007, a member of the Senate in 2007, and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among other national political positions.
Speaker Abbas mourns ex-National Assembly clerk, Adamu Fika
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has mourned a former Director-General and Clerk to the National Assembly, Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika.
Fika, who died at an Abuja hospital on Thursday, was also Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), and until his death was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Council of Retired Clerks and Secretaries of the National Assembly. He also had a stint at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
The Speaker, in a condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, described the late Fika as a thoroughbred technocrat and civil servant who gave his best in service to Nigeria.
Speaker Abbas described Fika’s demise as painful, noting that the former National Assembly bureaucrat has left indelible records in the history of the federal parliament.
While praying to Allah (SWT) to grant Dr. Fika Jannatul Firdaus, the Speaker commiserated with the family of the deceased, his community, and the National Assembly management.
Speaker Abbas welcomes 308 abductees’ rescue, commends President Tinubu, Armed Forces
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has expressed delight over the rescue of 308 persons abducted in separate attacks in Kwara and Niger States.
Speaker Abbas stated that it is not just a huge relief to the victims and their families but also to the people and the government of Nigeria.
The Speaker, while commending the Armed Forces and other collaborators for the safe return of the abductees, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has further exhibited his administration’s commitment to the security of life and property in Nigeria.
The security forces reportedly rescued 163 of those abducted from Woro Community in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State and another 145 rescued around Kainji Lake National Park forest in the New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State.
Speaker Abbas, who described the successful rescue operations as a welcome development and a huge relief to all Nigerians, called for strategic preventive measures against insecurity. He expressed his confidence in the capacity of the country’s security forces to prevent crime.
This is just as the Speaker restated the commitment of the House to legislative interventions and empowerment that will further strengthen the country’s security architecture.
Speaker Abbas hails Team Nigeria for sterling outing at Commonwealth Games
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has hailed Team Nigeria on their sterling performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, saying the national contingent made their country proud at the sports tournament.
Speaker Abbas, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, commended the Nigerian athletes for their patriotism and commitment to their country, noting that they were strongly determined to keep Nigeria on the map of sports excellence.
While noting that trophies and medals only symbolise performance ratings, the Speaker noted that it is discipline, resilience, and determination that make victory a reality. These, he stated, have earned Nigeria 24 medals—10 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze—at the latest edition of the Commonwealth Games.
Describing Team Nigeria as the country’s “global sports ambassadors,” Speaker Abbas thanked the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the National Sports Commission for creating the logistics and support needed for the athletes to win medals.
The Speaker urged Nigerians, especially the youth, to draw inspiration from Team Nigeria, especially regarding discipline and excellence in any field they find themselves in. He urged all to remain patriotic citizens and good ambassadors of Nigeria across the world.
Speaker Abbas greets ex-VP Namadi Sambo on 72nd birthday.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has extended his felicitations to former Vice President Arc. Muhammad Namadi Sambo, GCON, on the occasion of his 72nd birthday.
Speaker Abbas, in a congratulatory message conveyed through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, described the former vice president as a patriotic Nigerian who has devoted himself to serving humanity.
Recognizing Arc. Sambo as a quintessential leader with an impressive track record, Speaker Abbas reflected on the ex-VP’s time as governor of Kaduna State, highlighting his initiation and execution of numerous people-focused programmes and projects in the state.
The Speaker also fondly recalled the former vice president’s national service during his tenure as VP under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaker Abbas stated that Arc. Sambo continues to be “an illustrious son of Zaria,” emphasizing that his people take great pride in him.
He added that throughout his many years of national service, starting from his private practice as a distinguished architect, the former vice president has consistently shown exceptional leadership and patriotism.
The Speaker wished the former vice president continuous sound health and increased wisdom from the Almighty Allah.
Born on August 2, 1954, Arc. Muhammad Namadi Sambo, GCON, holds the traditional title of Sardaunan Zazzau.
Speaker Abbas welcomes appointment of President Tinubu’s Adviser on House Matters Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on National Assembly Matters (House of Reps).
Speaker Abbas, in a congratulatory message conveyed through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, praised President Tinubu for returning one of his top aides to the National Assembly, describing the appointee as “the right person for the job.”
He stated that President Tinubu has demonstrated his political acumen once more by appointing Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart.
Olanrewaju-Smart, whose appointment was an elevation from the position of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, was Chief of Staff to Speaker Abbas before joining the Presidency in 2023.
Before that, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart held several positions, including Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the 9th House, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to the President.
The Speaker, in describing Olanrewaju-Smart’s recent appointment as “well-deserved,” highlighted his commitment to duty and solid understanding of parliamentary procedures and democratic governance.
He added that Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart is not only brilliant and a model of integrity but also a hardworking and patriotic young Nigerian.
Speaker Abbas said he was more excited by Olanrewaju-Smart’s latest appointment as the liaison officer between the Presidency and the National Assembly, saying it promises to further strengthen the cooperation and cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of the government.
While wishing Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart a successful tenure, the Speaker prayed to Allah (SWT) to grant him the grace, wisdom, and strength to execute the new national assignment.
Olanrewaju-Smart earned a Ph.D. in Educational Management from Lead City University, Ibadan, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart was an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and also held a LEAPS Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In addition to serving as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI, USA, where he focuses on AI and Civic Tech, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart also holds a professional diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations.
President Tinubu has done to Kaduna what no president ever has—Speaker Abbas
… Abbas will return as Speaker by God’s will, says Governor Uba Sani
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has done to Kaduna State what no president or head of state ever has since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, has said.
Speaker Abbas, who noted the “exceptional love” President Tinubu has for Kaduna State and its people, challenged anyone with a contrary opinion to point out any Nigerian leader who comes close to what President Tinubu has done to Kaduna State in just three years.
A press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, on Sunday said Speaker Abbas made the remark at the groundbreaking of 11 key township roads across Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas by the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, CON, in Zaria on Saturday.
Speaker Abbas said, “I would want to seize this opportunity, as well, to thank His Excellency, the President/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the exceptional love he has for Kaduna State.
“Some people who don’t know what they’re doing, think that President Tinubu is a tribalist. They think he is only after the interest of the South West. I challenge anyone to tell me of any president, right from 1960, after Sardauna, who has been able to bring phenomenal projects to Kaduna State than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” said.
The Speaker gave reasons for his assertion. “Let me tell you: we had only one federal university that was created in 1962 by Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardaunan Sokoto of blessed memory. Since then to date, no president, no head of state has ever come close to bringing any tertiary institution of that magnitude (to Kaduna State).
“But today, the story is different under President Tinubu. He has upgraded our Federal College of Education, Zaria, to become Federal University of Education, Zaria, making two federal universities within Zaria. He didn’t stop at that; he went to Kachia and established a brand new Federal University of Applied Sciences. We thought that would be the end. Just three weeks ago, he converted another institution, belonging to the Petroleum Training Institute, to a university.
“Just last week, I had a discussion with him, and he told me that he is planning to upgrade Kaduna Polytechnic to Federal University of Technology, Kaduna within the next few months. That takes the number of federal universities in Kaduna to five.”
The Speaker then remarked, “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, where have we ever seen any president, within a span of three years, being able to give so much to Kaduna State like President Tinubu? I don’t think there’s any. This is just one out of many.”
Speaker Abbas further said that President Tinubu has included Kaduna, among three other cities, in the light rail project of his administration.
“Light rail will be introduced in only four cities in Nigeria for the first time in our history. One of those four places will be the city of Kaduna. It will benefit from the light rail, which will help in transportation challenges for people residing within Kaduna, Rigasa, Sabon Tasha, etc. This is an unprecedented project, a project that will cost hundreds of billions of naira. Kaduna is a beneficiary. No president ever has done that much for Kaduna State.”
He, therefore, appealed to the people of Zaria and Kaduna State to show their gratitude to the President by coming out in large numbers to vote for him during the 2027 presidential election.
“I appeal to you, ladies and gentlemen, that on the day of reckoning, the day of judgment, the day we’re going to elect our next president, let the people of Zaria show their gratitude, let the people of Kaduna State show their gratitude. Come out in large numbers and show that we are people who appreciate good things; we are people who reciprocate goodness with goodness. That’s the only way we will appreciate this honourable gentleman.”
Speaker Abbas also lauded Governor Sani for his unprecedented leadership, noting that the governor has demonstrated that Zaria is a special constituency to him.
“My message is very simple: it’s just to say thank you very much, thank you very much, and thank you very much. The chairman of Zaria Local Government has put it more plainly and comprehensively. That the governor of Kaduna State is somebody who truly loves Zaria very well.
“He mentioned only one instance where the governor intervened in Zaria to avert a political crisis, occasioned by some projects we brought, but some people within our communities were trying to sabotage it.
“There is another example, which he forgot to cite, that is the issue of citing four additional federal institutions in Zaria, namely, the Federal College of Technical and Vocational Centre, Sports Academy, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, and the College of Agricultural Sciences.
“For those four institutions, it was His Excellency, the governor, who came to our rescue. Even though (even) within the state government, many people were putting pressure on him not to grant what we requested, and that was to carve out a massive land within the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, which was sitting idle, unutilized for years.
“His Excellency said, “I will not be intimidated by those people. I will do what is expedient for Kaduna State. I will give this piece of land to you so that you can build those noble projects (institutions) within Zaria Local Government. So, I use this opportunity once more to thank His Excellency for always being there for us in Zaria. There is no empowerment that we ever invited His Excellency that he has not honoured. There is no request of anything that was made to His Excellency for the benefit of the people of Zaria that he has not granted.
“Today is the culmination of the gratitude that the people of Zaria owe you. The roads that you’re going to construct will significantly complement the ones that we have started on behalf of the state government, Zaria Local Government, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. These nine projects, out of the 11 that will be flagged off today, will go a long way in solving our infrastructural deficit in Zaria.
“I assure you, Your Excellency, that your nobleness, your humility, and your generosity to the people of Zaria—your support and assistance—will not go in vain. We will reciprocate in a big way. Come 2027, Zaria will speak only one language, and that language is APC Zaria Local Government for Uba Sani, In Sha Allah.”
On his part, Governor Uba Sani noted the good working relationship between him and the Speaker, saying all the people-oriented projects he is executing and the ones the Speaker has been attracting to Zaria and Kaduna State are as a result of the support they get from President Tinubu.
He said President Tinubu has done everything for Kaduna State, including the light rail that the Speaker had mentioned. He said the project, which is the first of its kind, would gulp the sum of one trillion naira.
“Additionally, in the next one week, the project for the construction of the road from Mando to Birnin Gwari will be flagged off. The President approved the sum of N178 billion for the road. Work will commence from next week.
“The President doesn’t stop there. He has done many things for Kaduna State. But there is one thing I want to tell you, the people of Zaria. The Rt. Hon. Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, if not for the fact that he’s occupying the office of the Speaker, you wouldn’t have seen all the good projects he has been attracting to Zaria. For that, we must vote massively for Tinubu. We must ensure that he gets at least 95 percent of the votes from Zaria. That is the only way we will appreciate the President.
“Today, I want to assure you of something, by God’s grace. A few days ago, I was with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and he assured me that Abbas Tajudeen will return as Speaker by God’s will. Therefore, what we want from you is prayer.
“We won’t allow the Speaker’s seat to be taken out of Kaduna State. We want it to remain in Kaduna, in Zaria, to be specific. We will stand firm up to the election period and ensure that he returns as Speaker, In Sha Allah. I call on you all to come out and vote for APC from top to bottom. I thank you all,” Governor Sani said.
The governor said the 11 road projects flagged off would be completed between four and five months, assuring that they would be commissioned during that period.
The road projects flagged off are Babban Dodo–Durumi–Kofan Kuyanbana; Rimin Tsiwa–Kofan Gayan (Secretariat–Albarkawa–Kaura); Maje Road, Tudun Wada; Turunku Road (Sabon Gari); Waff Road (Sabon Gari); Layin Radio Road, Tudun Wada; Aba Road, Tudun Wada; Turunku Road (Sabon Layi, Tudun Wada); Dadda’u Road (Layin M. Mamuda); Sheikh Umar Muazu Street; and Idris Majeh Street (Fillin Mallawa).
Speaker Abbas distributes 60,000 bags of fertiliser to constituents, others
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, distributed 60,000 bags of fertiliser among various segments of his constituents on Saturday.
Speaker Abbas also extended this gesture to the seven other local governments within the Zone 1 Senatorial District: Sabon Gari, Makarfi, Kudan, Soba, Ikara, Kubau, and Lere.
According to a statement from Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, the beneficiaries include farmers’ associations, artisans, women and youth groups, support groups, religious leaders, traditional institutions, community leaders, professional associations, and many others.
Speaking to thousands of beneficiaries at the Mallawa Eid Ground in Zaria, Speaker Abbas explained that this initiative was part of his constituency outreach aimed at supporting farmers and others in need of fertiliser to boost their farming activities for a bountiful harvest.
The Speaker said this year, he chose to increase the quantity of fertiliser distributed to reach more people and promote farming among his constituents.
The Speaker said, “Today marks the third year since we began delivering this intervention. However, this time, we are reaching more people because we have found additional ways to support the communities of Zaria, Zone 1, and Kaduna State as a whole.
“The good thing is that this time around, we are extending this gesture to other local governments in Zone 1. In addition to Zaria, the remaining seven local governments within this zone will benefit as well.
“I hope the fertiliser we’re distributing today will be used wisely by the beneficiaries. I pray for a bumper harvest, far greater than last year’s,” the Speaker noted.
Speaker Abbas also took the opportunity to call for unity among the numerous members and supporters of the APC, urging them to steer clear of anything that might cause division within the party.
“I would also like to use this moment to appeal to the many members of APC and our supporters to unite and avoid actions that could create discord among us. As a people and as a party, we are indeed blessed. I encourage everyone to steer clear of gossip and anything that could lead to division within our party. Envy is foreign to us; jealousy is unknown; and denying others their rights is something we never do.
“The Almighty has granted us a rare opportunity in Zaria, and I urge us not to take it lightly. Let’s engage in politics without any bitterness. Let’s show respect to one another.
“Today, I wish to speak sincerely from my heart: there has never been a time when the Executive branch of our state and the National Assembly members from our dear state shared as warm and friendly a relationship as we currently do. There is a great level of mutual understanding between us and His Excellency, the governor of Kaduna State. We share a bond of trust. There is no distrust between me and the governor.
“So, to those who believe they can employ any tactics to sow discord among us, I assure you they will fail. Therefore, we must stay peaceful and united. I am sure the seat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is not just a blessing to Zaria or Zone 1; it is a blessing to Kaduna State as a whole. We strive earnestly to treat everyone with fairness and justice.
“May Allah never let us witness a day when we fail to fulfill the trust you have placed in us,” he said.
Speaker Abbas attracts, commissions community market at late mother’s hometown, Dutsen-Kura
…performs groundbreaking on other projects
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, on Friday commissioned a modern community market, which he attracted to his late mother’s hometown of Dutsen-Kura community, Kafur Local Government in Katsina State.
This is even as the Speaker performed the groundbreaking on four projects: the Darika Central Mosque, the Dutsen-Kura to Kahutu road, the rehabilitation, and expansion of an earth dam, and a new skills acquisition centre at Gozaki. He also inspected a skills acquisition centre at Dutsen-Kura.
Commissioning the Dutsen-Kura Community Market, the Speaker said the market would open doors of opportunities and boost trading in the community and its environs, noting that it would provide a safe, “orderly and dignified environment in which the commerce of Dutsen-Kura may flourish. It offers modern, secure trading spaces for our farmers, traders, and artisans.
“It is a great honour to stand before you once more, this time to commission the Dutsen-Kura Community Market. On a day already rich with new beginnings, we now inaugurate a project that will touch the daily life of this community perhaps more directly than any other.
“I confess that it moves me deeply to render this service here in Dutsen-Kura, the home of my beloved mother. Every visit to this soil is, for me, a return to my own beginnings, and to the values of honest labour and neighbourly kindness that I first learned among these very people. To build a market for this community is therefore not a duty alone. It is an act of gratitude and of affection.
“A market is far more than a gathering of shops. It is the very centre of a community’s economic life. It is the place where the farmer sells his harvest, where the trader earns her living, and where the artisan finds a buyer for his craft. It is where prices are set, where news is shared, and where the wealth of a community changes hands and multiplies.
“A thriving market is among the surest signs of a thriving people. For too long, however, our people have carried on this vital commerce without a proper and secure place in which to do so. That era ends today. In the life of our people, the market has always been more than a place of buying and selling,” he said.
Speaker Abbas added that with the commissioning of the market, “a woman who once traded in the open, exposed to the sun, the rain, and insecurity, will now conduct her business in comfort and in safety. She will keep her goods in a secure place. She will earn her income with dignity. And the profit she makes will return to her home to feed her children, educate them, and lift her family. When we strengthen the hand of the market woman, we strengthen the entire community.”
For the young people, the Speaker noted that the “market opens a door of opportunity. It will create employment, both within its walls and in the many trades that serve it. A young person seeking a start in life will find here a place to trade, to learn a business, and to build it into an enterprise. Idleness is the enemy of a young man’s future and of a community’s peace. A market such as this offers our youth an honourable alternative, the chance to earn a living by their own effort, and to take just pride in it.”
He said the benefits of the market would also reach far beyond the community, as it would open wider outlets for agricultural produce and locally made goods, connecting Dutsen-Kura to trade with neighbouring communities and the wider region.
“Buyers will come to us, our goods will travel farther, and our village will grow into a centre of exchange for the entire area. In this way, a single market becomes an engine of growth for many communities at once.”
Speaker Abbas pointed out that the project reflects the wider purpose of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, “which seeks to build the prosperity of our nation from the grassroots upward, beginning with the ordinary trader, farmer, and artisan.
“The reforms of the past two years have asked much of our people, and I am mindful of the hardship they have borne. Yet those reforms are now restoring the strength of our national economy and releasing the resources that make projects such as this one possible. When we strengthen the small enterprises in rural communities, we lay a brick in the foundation of a stronger Nigeria.
“I salute our people for their patience, and I assure them that its reward is beginning to show. As we approach the important decisions of 2027, let us remain steadfast upon this path of progress, so that the prosperity we are building together may endure and grow.
“As I hand this market over to you, I charge you to make the fullest use of it and to guard it as your own. Keep it clean. Keep it orderly. Let it be managed well, through a committee that is fair, transparent, and answerable to the traders it serves.
“Let the trader deal honestly, let the buyer be treated fairly, and let every measure be just. Let peace and good conduct prevail within these walls, for a market divided against itself cannot prosper. Above all, maintain what has been built. A structure that is cared for will serve this community for generations, while a structure that is neglected will be lost within a few short years. I place my trust in you to choose the path of care.”
He commended all those who laboured to bring the project to completion and thanked the revered traditional and religious leaders for their prayers and their guidance. He also thanked the good people of Dutsen-Kura for their patience, support, and affection throughout my life.
On the four projects, which the Speaker performed their groundbreaking, he said the mosque would provide the people with a dignified place of worship and religious instruction, while the Dutsen-Kura to Kahutu road would connect the community to the wider world and convey the farmers and their produce to market, the children to school, and the sick to the clinic.
On the rehabilitation and expansion of the Dutsen-Kura earth dam, the Speaker said when completed, it would “greatly increase our capacity to store water. It will enable our farmers to cultivate through the dry season, and not just in the rains alone. It will sustain our livestock and bring an end to the seasonal shortages that have long troubled us.”
Speaker Abbas expressed delight that he returned to Dutsen Kura, the hometown of his beloved mother, saying the community “holds a special place in my heart. Before I am the Speaker of the House of Representatives, I am a son of this soil, bound to this community by blood, by memory, and by affection. My mother was a daughter of this land, and from her I received the values that have guided me throughout my life: discipline, faith, and a sincere love for the ordinary person.
“I thank Almighty Allah, who has granted me the honour of returning home in good health. I salute my relations, our revered elders, and every son and daughter of Dutsen-Kura. Whatever office I may hold today, I have never forgotten where I come from, and I have returned to render service to the land that gave my family life.”
