By Akin Rotimi Jr.
I just got off a flight into Abuja and, while waiting for my bags at the airport, I saw six other colleagues arriving from different locations across the country. I engaged with one of them, Rep. Chike Okafor, and we shared our experiences of cutting short the recess and our time with family and constituents to return to Abuja for the emergency plenary tomorrow.
He remarked, “Spokesman, I am here because of the Speaker. I just love that man and trust his leadership, especially in these difficult times.” He further expressed his approval of reconvening on the directive of the Speaker, not only for parliamentary matters, but also to engage with young Nigerians. Ranking Representative Okafor is one of the most cerebral among us and is not flippant at all.
The challenges we face as representatives are immense – balancing legislative work, representation, and seeking opportunities for our constituents, while also engaging in constituency outreach. This often comes at the expense of family time, health and wellness, and amid insults and disdain. Despite these hurdles, we remain steadfast in our duty, inspired by the honorable leadership of Speaker Abbas.
Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, has been prolific in leading a diverse House comprising eight political parties, with about 75% new members. Under his leadership, the House has been notably inclusive and open to engagement.
Knowing Speaker Abbas is to love him. As spokesman, managing the image of the Green Chamber is challenging but fulfilling because we have a leader who is truly likable. A perfect gentleman, he is innately compassionate and respectful to all. His wisdom is legendary and undoubtedly a gift from God.
Speaker Abbas is the personification of empathy. Issues brought to him concerning the challenges Nigerians face are viewed through the lens of empathy. Though a man of pedigree and privilege, he is not removed from the challenges facing Nigerians.
The Open Week convened to mark our first anniversary showcased our commitment to transparency and dialogue. We have held several sectoral debates and town hall meetings, reflecting Speaker Abbas’s belief that the people have the power and that no stakeholder group should be left behind in reaching decisions that affect them.
When we faced a thorny issue in parliament, with many lawmakers spoiling for a heated session and a deadlock because of their divergent views, all it took was a five-minute passionate speech by Speaker Abbas in an executive session. He explained many more details he was privy to and how he felt we should address the matter.
By the end, all frayed nerves were calm, and when he asked for comments, it was unanimously agreed that no one needed to speak again. It was a tough collective decision, but we decided to make it work in the best interest of the country. We respect our leader.
It is said that generals earn their stripes in times of conflict; Speaker Abbas is leading from the front, and the entire 10th Assembly is behind him. The prize is to change the narrative about lawnakers Contrary to stories of Honourable Members fleeing the country because of protests, we are on the ground because of our belief in Nigeria and because we have a leader who inspires us to carry Nigerians along in our work.
Even during this recess, whether there are protests or not, Honourable Members will not only engage with Nigerians in Abuja but will also return to our constituencies to engage. This is what we promised in our legislative agenda, and this is what Speaker Abbas is leading us to do.
On Wednesday, in line with our commitment, we will engage with young Nigerians and continue to explore more channels of communication because we believe that Nigerians deserve to be heard and the right to dissent must be protected. We, however, continue to appeal that street-level protests are not in the country’s best interest at this time.
We acknowledge the challenges our people are facing. Many Nigerians are desperate and look to the government to fix things urgently. It is our commitment to continue working on measures not only to ameliorate the pressing challenges but to ensure fundamental steps are taken to make Nigeria peaceful and prosperous – to achieve a country where no one is oppressed.
Nigeria will get through these difficult times and come out stronger. The 10th Assembly will continue to work to earn the trust of Nigerians so that you believe we are representatives in word and deed, and so that in peace and plenty, Nigeria may be blessed.
Rep. Akin Rotimi is the House Spokesman and writes from Abuja