Press Statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives
My govt building secure, stable, prosperous Nigeria – President Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has restated his administration’s commitment to building a secure, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.
The President said part of the non-kinetic strategy against insecurity is job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and social protection to aid security efforts.
President Tinubu made this known in Kaduna on Saturday at the passing out ceremony for cadets of the 73rd Regular Course (Army, Navy, and Air Force), Short Service Course 49 (Army), Direct Short Service Course 34 (Air Force), and Branch Commission Course 3 (Air Force) of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
Represented by the Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, the President said, “Despite the diverse challenges our dear country has been confronted with, my administration has remained steadfast, focused, and committed to building a secure, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.
“Through the continuous and surgical application of all elements of national power, including, and most importantly, the military, we have continued to stabilise the situation, improving our responses and expanding as well as modifying our interventions, which thankfully are yielding desired outcomes.
“We aptly recognise that kinetic military operations alone cannot defeat insecurity since poverty, unemployment, poor education, and social disintegration are notable drivers of conflicts. That is why under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are pursuing job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and social protection in tandem with our security efforts.”
President Tinubu said his administration is also enhancing Nigeria’s regional and global collaborations and cooperations, due to the transnational nature of the threats. He also said Nigeria will continue to provide leadership and assistance to fellow countries in West Africa.
“Nigeria will continue to enhance our commitments to democracy and stability in our region and indeed globally. Despite the setbacks in the cooperation within the subregion, especially in the Sahel, Nigeria under my leadership, through the auspices of ECOWAS and other regional bodies, will continue to pursue inclusive diplomacy, security cooperation, and economic integration.
“Consequently, with the military’s unalloyed support for democratic governance, Nigeria’s continental and regional leadership role will continue to be upheld and intensified.
“We remain opposed to unconstitutional changes of government, however we will not abandon our brothers and sisters in Mali, Niger, or Burkina Faso. Preserving five decades of ECOWAS achievements, covering free movement, trade, and regional coordination, is essential to our collective security and prosperity.”
The President noted that the NDA, since its establishment in 1964, lived up to the expectations of the founding fathers and, indeed, the nation. He said the Academy has evolved in line with nascent security challenges by developing a training curriculum which blends military training and academics with a focus on character development.
He stated that a critical aspect of this is a realistic and enhanced Counter-Terrorism and Counterinsurgency training designed to suit contemporary security challenges. This, he noted, is in addition to the rapid integration of technology into training and research.
President Tinubu also noted that NDA cadets are undergoing military training in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Brazil, and France.
He said, “I am particularly encouraged that the Nigerian Defence Academy is increasingly receiving international recognition through invitations extended to its cadets to participate in highly competitive military cadet competitions in the United States, Brazil, and most recently, the People’s Republic of China.
“Such invitations are earned through demonstrated excellence. They attest to the remarkable improvements in the Academy’s training standards, professionalism, and global standing, while affirming that Nigeria is producing officers capable of competing and excelling alongside the very best military institutions in the world.”
The President added that the Academy equally continues to serve as a regional hub for military education by training cadets from several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
“These engagements strengthen military diplomacy, deepen professional cooperation, and reaffirm Nigeria’s leadership in defence education and capacity development across the African continent,” he said.
Independence Day: Peace, development returning to Nigeria—Speaker Abbas
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, has urged Nigerians to continue to believe in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as it corrects the wrongs of the past, stating that peace and development are gradually returning to the country.
Speaker Abbas stated this while fielding questions from journalists after attending a special Jumma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja ahead of this year’s 66th Independence Anniversary, which comes up next Thursday, October 1.
The Speaker stood in for President Tinubu at the special prayer session.
He urged Nigerians to reelect President Tinubu to continue with the reforms the APC-led administration has started, stating, “This anniversary—the 66th—by all accounts signifies Nigeria has come of age. The person of 66 years cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey from independence to date, we may say it was a mixed journey.
“Nigeria was bedeviled with a lot of issues in the past and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the life and the peace for us to witness this very historic event today.
“My message to the country on behalf of the Mr. President, the Senate President and all members of the National Assembly is that the citizens should not lose hope. Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” he said.
He added, “More importantly, citizens should look at the focus of the government of today, that the mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past—are being corrected in this particular administration.
“And I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path; that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again. We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work (it has started).”
Several top government officials, including the Deputy President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Barau Jibrin, state governors; National Assembly members; ministers; and military chiefs, attended the special prayer session at the National Mosque on Friday. Also in attendance was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Remain focused on presenting President Tinubu’s achievements, Speaker Abbas urges reelection campaigners
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has urged campaign organisations to remain focused and not be distracted while marketing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Speaker Abbas, while hosting the National Executive Council of a socio-political organisation, Relax Tinubu is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN), in Abuja on Thursday, stressed the need for campaigners to engage the electorate with facts, patience, and maturity, urging them not to be provoked by criticisms and confrontations.
He said, “I welcome the leadership of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria, to the House of Representatives. Democracy grows stronger when citizens understand public policy, ask informed questions, and participate peacefully. Any organisation that takes government policy to the grassroots accepts a serious duty. It must inform, listen, and report truthfully.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is addressing difficult structural problems. Its purpose is to strengthen the economy, expand opportunity, and build institutions that can serve Nigerians more effectively.
“Support cannot rest on slogans. Citizens should see what policy means in their community through a road, a student loan, a new skill, a safer farm, or a stronger small business. Credible advocacy admits that reforms impose costs. It explains the objective, listens to hardship, and communicates the relief and opportunities available to citizens.”
He added, “The House will continue to legislate, appropriate, and oversee. A support group must remain independent of public institutions and comply with electoral, financial, and data protection laws. Verify every claim against an official source. Correct mistakes quickly. Confidence grows when evidence is accurate and accessible.
“Create channels through which citizens can ask questions and report problems. Grassroots engagement must carry information in both directions. Reach women, young people, persons with disabilities, artisans, farmers, traders, and communities beyond party structures.
“Combine advocacy with useful service. Policy clinics, voter education, skills referrals, and community outreach give public engagement practical value. Avoid insults, threats, ethnic appeals, and manufactured information. Defend the administration with evidence, restraint, and respect.”
The Speaker commended President Tinubu’s son, Mr. Seyi Tinubu, for initiating the group, stressing the importance of correcting the public narratives about the government. He especially urged the RTIFN to do a comparative analysis of the achievements of the current administration with those of the previous ones. “It is not just what Tinubu has done but compare it with what his predecessors have done,” he said.
The Speaker further advised the RTIFN to “let the entire country be your constituency as far as this campaign is concerned,” while urging the body to “make the peace and keep the peace. Start with peace, end with peace. Don’t allow confrontation and provocation. Don’t go outside the law.”
He said, “Prepare for the 2027 election within the law. Political support must never blur the distinction between party activity, civil society engagement, and the constitutional work of the House.
Your strongest message will not be that government has no challenges. It will be that the government has a plan, is producing results, and remains willing to listen. Take facts to the people and bring the people’s concerns back to those in public office. That is how advocacy can strengthen both democracy and development.”
Speaker Abbas, who accepted his appointment as Grand Patron of the RTIFN, was presented with a letter, plaque, and lapel by the Deputy Director-General of the body, Zack Orji, a veteran Nollywood actor.
Orji, who extended the courtesies from Seyi Tinubu, said the RTIFN was out to communicate the policy achievements of President Tinubu, noting that the organisation has compiled the administration’s achievements. “In the history of this country, there are so many things that the President has achieved that have never been achieved before,” he said.
While noting that the RTIFN will soon release a compendium of achievements by the current administration, Orji said, “We are here to intimate you about this and to request for you to be a patron of this organization.”
North should emulate Ahmadu Bello, prioritise education, human capital – Speaker Abbas
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has emphasised the need to promote education and human capital development in Nigeria especially in the northern region.
While noting the attraction of several educational institutions and skills acquisition centres beyond Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, the Speaker stressed the need for the political elite in the northern region to emulate the first and only Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in terms of practical development.
Speaker Abbas stated this when he hosted the Sir Ahmad Bello Memorial Foundation in Abuja on Thursday.
He said, “Sir Ahmadu Bello understood that institutions outlive individuals. He invested in education because knowledge gives people the power to improve their own lives. The Foundation honours that legacy best when remembrance leads to research, scholarships, and measurable results.
“Northern Nigeria’s education gap is a national challenge. A child who remains outside school weakens the productive and peaceful future of the whole country. Access matters, but quality matters just as much. We need safe schools, capable teachers, useful skills, and clear learning outcomes.”
He added, “The finest memorial to Sir Ahmadu Bello is not a ceremony. It is a child in school, a graduate at work, and a community united by opportunity. The House is ready to engage with proposals that are practical, transparent, and capable of changing lives.”
Recalling the exploits of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, in the First Republic, the Speaker noted that the northern leader chose Zaria for the establishment of major public institutions not because of population or political reasons but geographical considerations, being the most central location in the North.
He also noted that while the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is the most popular of such establishments, Premier established several other institutions, including the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, the first aviation school in the North. “He did it for a reason: the centrality of Zaria,” he said.
Speaker Abbas, therefore, urged leaders from the North to emulate “our father and our hero,” noting that the Sardauna inspired him to attract about seven different higher institutions of learning to Zaria, with the intention that the benefits will not be limited to Zaria people. He added that as Speaker of the House, he has established skill acquisition centres and empowerment programmes in Zaria.
The Speaker added that he has sponsored scholarships for students in all the seven states in the North-West geopolitical zone, with several thousands already benefiting.
Speaker Abbas also noted he renovated several schools in Zaria while he recently distributed motorcycles to 2,200 teachers in the constituency.
“The issue of education is something very dear to me… due to the solid foundation that we had, which was made possible by our leaders in the past, in particular Sir Ahmadu Bello. It is an area that I want to assure you that we are taking seriously,” he said in part.
The Speaker assured the Foundation that he would reach out to the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, CFR, “to see how the three of us can come together and support you in a big way.”
Former governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, CON, who is the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Sir Ahmad Bello Memorial Foundation, earlier announced Speaker Abbas as one of the Grand Patrons of the Foundation.
He said, “For us, you are the northern leader. I know, given the way things are, many people will not understand that. But you are the indisputable leader for us because you are the Number 4 citizen in the country and you are the one that we can relate more with. And I am happy that your personal character has shown in your constituency, because everybody in Zaria is happy with what you have been doing, and unless you don’t want it, they will continue electing you.”
Ex-governor Aliyu recalled that the Foundation was established in 2009 under the auspices of the Northern Governors’ Forum, adding that the creation was as a result of what was happening in the northern region.
The former governor said the Foundation is out to use the birth, life, and death of Ahmadu Bello to unite the North and to remind the people about how the Sardauna united the region regardless of ethno-religious and political differences. “We need to remind the people and bring them together,” he said.
Speaker Abbas proposes annual parliamentary dialogue with Saudi Shura Council
…seeks visa policy review for Nigerians
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has proposed an annual parliamentary dialogue with the Saudi Arabia Shura Council, noting that this would strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
Speaker Abbas stressed that the Nigeria-Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Group, which he constituted after his emergence, should become a stronger channel between the House and the Saudi Shura Council.
Speaking at a dinner to mark Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday night, the Speaker said, “We propose an annual parliamentary dialogue, reciprocal committee visits, and a joint work plan covering investment, education, and aviation.
“The Group should also convene business and academic roundtables and maintain a simple tracker to follow bilateral agreements from commitment to implementation.”
He added that, “We must turn air links into trade, scholarships into shared knowledge, and diplomatic goodwill into lasting development. I wish the Kingdom continued peace, progress, and prosperity.”
The Speaker also called on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reciprocate Nigeria’s visa-on-arrival policy for certain categories of Nigerians. The request for such consideration covers Nigerian investors, academics, business travelers, diplomatic passport holders, among others.
While congratulating the Kingdom, Speaker Abbas affirmed the strategic relationship between the countries and advanced practical requests on mobility, education, pilgrimage, and investment.
He noted that Nigeria and Saudi Arabia share long-established ties based on faith, friendship, commerce, and culture. “We also cooperate through the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and OPEC,” he added.
Noting that Nigeria is home to Africa’s largest Muslim population and the world’s fifth-largest, after Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, the Speaker stated that this gives the relationship “special human and spiritual importance.”
He said, “We welcome Saudia’s proposed direct Jeddah-Abuja service from December 1, 2026. The published schedule provides for three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
“We encourage the early confirmation and expansion of passenger services to Lagos, competitive fares, and stronger cargo links.
Speaker Abbas said Nigeria appreciates the scholarships offered to Nigerian students and the recent opportunity extended through his office.
“We respectfully request more places in medicine, engineering, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, agriculture, and mining. The programme could also support postgraduate research and partnerships between Nigerian and Saudi universities, with fair access for women and disadvantaged students,” he said.
While commending the improved efficiency of the 2026 Hajj, he noted that Nigeria completed 98 outbound flights within 18 days, meeting the Saudi deadline.
He said, “We should build on this through earlier planning, clearer pricing, better digital coordination, and stronger medical and consular support. A permanent Nigeria-Saudi operations platform could connect aviation, immigration, health, accommodation, and pilgrim welfare.”
