Nigeria’ll change her global perception through world PR experts – Speaker Abbas

…to speak at Parliamentary Democracy Day, open NASS exhibition pavilion

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has expressed his excitement as Nigeria hosts the Global Alliance–World Public Relations Forum 2026 in November.

Speaker Abbas said Nigeria will use the event to tell its story, change narratives, and address the negative perceptions and misconceptions about the country as it hosts public relations experts across the world.

The Speaker said this when he hosted Prof. Justin Green, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the worldwide umbrella body for the profession, representing over 300,000 communicators across 126 countries.

Prof. Green was accompanied by the President/Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku (FNIPR); Secretary of Council, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura (FNIPR); Member of Council, Moji Makanjuola (MFR, FNIPR); and Secretary-General of the African Public Relations Association, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan (FNIPR), among others.

The WPRF 2026 will be the first time in history that Africa will host the global event alongside the African Public Relations Association (APRA) Conference.

Speaker Abbas is billed to deliver the keynote address at the Parliamentary Democracy Day and open a dedicated Exhibition Pavilion on the National Assembly’s legislative history.

The Speaker said, “Indeed, today is a moment of history – history in the making and history that has been made – in the sense that, for the first time, a decision – an affirmative decision – has been taken for Nigeria, once again, to be identified as a host… for the first time in the history of this 25-year-old association to host the entire world. One hundred and twenty-six countries coming to Nigeria is not a small thing.

“I am happy, particularly not because 126 countries are coming but for the opportunity that will present itself for those ‘Doubting Thomases’ around the world who think Nigeria is at the lowest ebb of development, to come and see with their eyes what Nigeria is and what Nigeria is promising to be in the future.

“This is a big opportunity, and I want to thank you very sincerely, Prof. Justin, for all the efforts you have been making over the past 11 years to make Africa be part of the global picture. It is something that we, Nigerians, will never forget nor take for granted. Thank you so much for identifying with us in Africa, and I assure you that Nigeria and Africa will not let you down.”

Speaker Abbas also commended Dr. Neliaku, describing the NIPR President as “a dogged fighter.” He stated, “This couldn’t have happened if not because you have also been very consistent and persistent in the pursuit of this particular opportunity.”

Earlier, Prof. Green commended Speaker Abbas for supervising inclusive legislation and governance that captures children, youth, women, and other categories of persons at the House.

The Global Alliance boss said he chose to speak from his heart after going through the 3-year scorecard of the 10th House under Speaker Abbas, noting “This didn’t just happen. This has been 10 years in the making.”

Prof. Green noted that Nigerians abroad are ambassadors of the country, recalling his pleasant experience with a Nigerian in Ireland, who showed love to him for visiting Nigeria.

The professor expressed confidence that when participants from 126 countries arrive in Abuja, “they will receive something that they have never ever received before.”

Together with Dr. Neliaku, the Global Alliance president said, “We are going to make this happen.”

Earlier, Dr. Neliaku noted that while the WPRF hosted a conference in Africa in 2007 – 19 years ago – it will be the first time it will be hosted alongside with the African Conference.

The NIPR President also emphasised how Prof. Green lobbied for Nigeria and Africa to get the hosting rights. He also noted how Africa now has six members of the Global Alliance under his leadership.

Telling Prof. Green about Speaker Abbas, Dr. Neliaku said, “He has been very supportive. He is one of the very few political leaders that we are happy to identify with… When you get back to Global Alliance, please tell them that you met a Speaker who speaks for the people.”

2027: Religious bodies critical stakeholders for peaceful elections — Speaker Abbas

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has restated the commitment of the federal parliament to a free, fair, and credible general elections in 2027.

Speaker Abbas stated that religious organisations remain formidable bodies that people respect and listen to. He therefore urged religious leaders to use their influence for a peaceful Nigeria before, during and after the elections.

The Speaker made the call in Abuja on Tuesday when Religious Network for Peace and Development visited him to present its programmes ahead of next year’s polls.

This is just as the body appointed Speaker Abbas as its Grand Patron and called for his support for the campaign for peace and unity ahead of the elections.

Speaker Abbas urged the association and other religious bodies to “step up activities during the campaigns and the elections” towards a successful and peaceful conduct of the polls.

He stated that the House will always support such causes “as and when due.”

Accepting the appointment, the Speaker said he was “very elated” while describing Tuesday as an “important day.” He added that he was “humbled” by the Grand Patron appointment.

While noting that “this association speaks for itself,” Speaker Abbas said Nigerians know the antecedents and contributions as well as the benefits that the organization has brought to the country.

Stating that the House is a “solid partner” of the Religious Network for Peace and Development, he said together with the Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. James Faleke, he will convey the group’s activities to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

He said he was honoured to be part of the association, noting, “I want to assure you I will not be a passive member or patron.”

A former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, who led the delegation, presented a letter of appointment to the Speaker, as well as a catalogue of past activities and programme of activities towards the 2027 general elections.

The ex-governor noted that members of the association, which he said has been existing for over three decades, are drawn from various religious organisations. He added that the body is working towards growth and development of Nigeria.

Shekarau also noted that with the elections approaching, the group is committed to integrating its objectives across the country, mobilising communities, especially the youth and religious organisations.

The former governor stressed that the body is after the existence of peaceful cooperation between and among all Nigerians. “Our concern ultimately is good governance,” he stated.

Miners’ death in NSCDC custody unfortunate, avoidable—Speaker Abbas

…commiserates Niger Govt, victims’ families

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has commiserated with the families of suspected illegal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Nigeria State, describing the deaths as “painful, unfortunate, and avoidable.”

Speaker Abbas also sent heartfelt condolences to the Niger State Government over the incident.

The Speaker said with the directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, he expects a thorough and comprehensive investigation of the circumstances surrounding the incident.

In a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker stated that justice must not only be done to the deceased but must be seen to have been done by the public.

Speaker Abbas therefore called for transparency and accountability in the multiple probes into the incident, noting that this is necessary to calm frayed nerves.

He stressed that the outcome of the investigation should correct wrongs, prescribe long-lasting solutions, and touch on prison congestion, operational guidelines, suspects’ rights, and welfare.

Speaker Abbas commended Governor Umar Mohammed Bado for his timely prevention of a breakdown of law and order by protesters.

He equally commended the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for their prompt response to the incident.

Speaker Abbas prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls and comfort for their families.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has extended his warm greetings to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, as she clocks 66, describing her as a great mobilizer and unifier.

Speaker Abbas, in his congratulatory message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, described the First Lady as a dependable spouse, partner, and ally to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

The Speaker commended her indefatigable spirit and high level of patriotism, saying she remains an inspiration to Nigerian women.

While noting her commendable experience in public administration and women mobilisation, Speaker Abbas said Mrs. Tinubu has been an experienced political, religious, and woman leader.

The Speaker cited her resilience in the push for the success of not only her husband, the President, but also the ruling All Progressives Congress. He noted her influence at the grassroots and her efforts to complement the actualisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaker Abbas wished the First Lady many more years in sound body and mound, while praying the success of her husband in the forthcoming presidential election.

Constituency project: Speaker Abbas powers schools, hospitals, others with solar energy

…urges constituents to vote President Tinubu, APC candidates in 2027

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has flagged off the installation of solar systems to power hospitals, schools, security outposts, and other public facilities in Zaria Federal Constituency.

“To the people of Zaria, thank you for trusting me with your mandate. Thank you for keeping faith with me, supporting this work, and holding me to my promises. I do not take your trust for granted. I will keep listening to you, working for you, and bringing our needs before the nation. Together, we will finish what we have started and build a stronger Zaria,” he said.

Speaker Abbas said this in Zaria over the weekend at the unveiling of solar systems as well as commissioning and groundbreaking of constituency projects in the Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.

The projects included the commissioning of a 110 kVA solar installation at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Kongo Campus, as well as groundbreaking for the Zaria Education Development Association’s International Conference Hall and a modern skills acquisition centre, along with office accommodation for the National Directorate of Employment.

Highlighting the purposes of the projects, the Speaker said, “A hospital cannot pause treatment when the lights go out. A student cannot stop an examination and wait for power. A workshop cannot operate in the dark. That is why we are here today.

He continued, “Power to keep essential services running. A hall to give learning and public debate a proper home. A centre to turn training into trade. And an office to bring the Federal Government’s employment services closer to the people who need them. Four different needs. One community, made stronger.”

The Speaker explained that the solar systems “will go where they are needed most: our health facilities, our schools, our security posts, our mosques, and our churches.”

He said, “In a clinic, light allows a nurse to treat a patient at midnight. In a classroom, power keeps a lesson going and a lamp burning over a child’s books. At a security post, light is the difference between watching and guessing. These are small machines. They carry large consequences.”

Speaker Abbas noted that the solar installations would be managed by young constituents who have been trained to handle them.

“I am glad that young people from Zaria were trained to install these systems themselves. Panels need care. Batteries need checking. Faults need fixing. When our own youths can install and repair what we commission, the investment lasts longer, and the skill stays here. We are not only buying equipment. We are building capacity,” he said.

Also speaking on the skills acquisition centre, Speaker Abbas stated that “training must lead to trade, and trade must lead to a living.”

He said, “I want young women and men to leave that centre able to solve a problem, serve a customer, and earn an honest wage. Give our artisans tools. Give our learners tutors. Let employers come looking for talent, and let them find it here in Zaria.”

At the Kongo Campus of the Ahmadu Bello University, the Speaker noted that “steady power means staff who can work and students who can study.”

At ZEDA, he said the new hall “gives our teachers, our scholars, and our community associations a room worthy of them. Zaria has been a centre of learning for centuries. Our facilities should match our standing. A good idea should never have to compete with the noise of a generator.”

Speaker Abbas emphasised that the projects are what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda means in practice.

“A national policy is only as good as the difference it makes on a street where people live. In Zaria, that difference is power for our institutions, space for our learning and skills that lead to work. As your representative, and as Speaker of the House of Representatives, my duty is to turn national ambition into local reality,” he said.

While pointing out that “nobody is pretending the work is finished,” the Speaker stated that “for the first time, we have a way of carrying power to places the old grid never reached.”

He added, “The same thinking guides everything I do across this constituency. Roads carry the farmer to the market. Clinics carry care closer to the family. Schools give a child a stronger start. Skills give a young person a living. And power allows every one of them to function. I want each investment to support the next, so Zaria rises together.”

Speaker Abbas urged his constituents to assess political leaders appropriately, saying, “My people, this is how leadership should be judged. Does the clinic have light? Can the farmer reach the market? Can a young person find training and then find work? Can our children learn in a school that functions? Ask those four questions of every person who asks for your vote. Ask them here in Zaria, where the answers are close enough to see and near enough to touch.”

The Speaker stated that for over three years, “I have used the office you entrusted to me to bring investment home to Zaria and to take our needs to the Federal Government.”

He added that President Tinubu’s support has made that possible. “What we have started, we can finish. What we have finished, we can build upon,” he said, while also asking them to “judge me by the projects I bring home and finish. Judge President Tinubu by the opportunities his reforms create.”

Speaker Abbas urged the electorate to vote for President Tinubu, as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election, for a second term as well as other candidates of the ruling party.

“On the 16th of January, 2027, we vote for the President and for the National Assembly on the same day and on the same ballot paper. I ask you for both. Vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Vote for your Speaker. Vote for every candidate of the All Progressives Congress in this state so that Zaria speaks with one voice from the ward to the National Assembly.

“Give us the mandate to deepen the reforms, finish these projects, and bring more opportunity home,” he said.

Speaker Abbas congratulates Governor AbdulRazaq on turbaning as ‘Sardauna of Ilorin’

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has congratulated the Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on his historic turbaning as the Sardauna of Ilorin.

His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Kolapo Sulu-Gambari, the 11th Emir of llorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, on Wednesday (today) conferred the title on Governor AbdulRazaq in Ilorin, the state capital.

Speaker Abbas, in a congratulatory message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, described the traditional honour as a major recognition of the governor’s reputation and service to the people.

The Speaker equally commended the Emir of Ilorin for honouring Govenor AbdulRazaq, saying the traditional ruler has rewarded hard work, diligence, loyalty, and service to the people.

While Speaker Abbas urges Governor AbdulRazaq to use to the traditional title to unite the people beyond Ilorin Emirate, he calls on the governor to continue to champion the cause of the masses at the grass roots.

The Speaker also urges Governor AbdulRazaq to join the campaign for constitutional recognition of traditional leaders in the country, using his current position as chairman of the governors in the country.