We’ll Change Lawmaking, Representation, Oversight – Abbas

Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas said the 10th House was prepared to make a great difference in its core functions of lawmaking, representation and oversight.

Abbas spoke in Abuja yesterday when the leadership of a civil society organisation and development partner of the National Assembly, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), visited him.

He said, “For the 10th House of Representatives, the need and urgency of capacity building is imperative, following the record high turnover of members of the House, new legislative aides and members of staff.

“The 10th House is prepared to make great difference in lawmaking, representation and oversight and we will surely justify the confidence that Nigerians have reposed in us.”

Earlier in his remarks, Nwankwo noted that PLAC has been working with the National Assembly for more than 15 years to provide technical support and capacity building for the federal parliament.

Meanwhile, Speaker Abbas reassured the traditional rulers that the 10th House would work towards keeping its promise of granting a constitutional role for traditional institutions, describing them as “fountain of knowledge and wisdom.”

The speaker stated this yesterday at the National Assembly when he received in audience a delegation of eminent royal fathers under the aegis of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

“Your royal highnesses, I’m sure all of you are aware that I’m a product of this institution, and very many of our members in the 10th Assembly are also from this background. If I begin to list the names of members from various traditional houses, I’m sure you will be more at ease with us.

“We are going to look at the Emir of Lafia’s committee that made some far-reaching recommendations. I assure you that we will look into it and do what’s right and best for this institution and for the country,” he added.

The leader of the delegation and chairman of the coordinating committee of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, His Royal Highness, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, had congratulated the speaker for his landslide victory during the inauguration of the 10th House on June 13.

He urged the lawmakers to pursue people-oriented legislations and harped on the importance of granting constitutional roles to traditional institutions in the country.