Hon. Tajudeen Abbas: The 15th Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives
Hon. Dr. Tajudeen Abbas is a renowned educationist, excellent politician, and Distinguished Abusite who currently represents the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in the National Assembly of Nigeria and is the 15th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria since 2023.
Dr. Tajudeen Abbas was born on October 1st, 1963, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. He attended Kaduna Teacher’s College (KTC), where he obtained a grade II certificate in 1981. He then proceeded to great Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he studied business administration and graduated in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree.
In 1993, he obtained a master’s degree in business administration from the same university. In 2010, he completed his doctorate in business management at Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto.
Hon. Tajudeen Abbas started his career as a primary school teacher from 1981 to 1988 before becoming a lecturer at a polytechnic. He later moved to the Kaduna State University (KASU) in 1993, where he taught until 2001.
From 2001 to 2005, he served as a marketing manager at NTC Plc. As a politician, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas was elected into the National Assembly in 2011 to represent Zaria Federal Constituency. He was re-elected in 2015 under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
His legislative interests include appropriation, finance, education, national planning, health, and public procurement.
In between this period, he served as the Chairman of the Land Transport Committee until May 2023; Committee Member at Commerce Committee (Reps) to May 2015; Committee Member at Finance Committee (Reps) to May 2015; Committee Member at Special Duties Committee (Reps) to May 2015; Committee Member at Defence Committee (Reps) to May 2015; Vice-Chairman at Legislative Compliance Committee (Reps) to May 2015 ; Committee Member at Public Procurement Committee (Reps) to May 2015; Committee Member at National Planning and Economic Development Committee (Reps) to May 2015.
On bills sponsorship, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas was the first to none in the 9th House of Representative having sponsored 75 bills within the life of the National Assembly.
The bills he sponsored have direct and indirect positive impacts on his constituents and across the nation, Nigeria. The bills are at various stages. While some of them have passed 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reading, many of them have also been passed into law by both former president Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu.
President Buhari before he left office signed into law National Blood Transfusion Bill and a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigeria Council for Management Development Act Cap N99 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and National Centre for Economic Management and Administration Act Cap. N14 Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Nigeria Council for Management Development Bill 2021 and for Related Matters (HB 1119). These were sponsored by Dr. Tajudeen.
Similarly, Buhari also signed into law 21 Federal Medical Centres across the country. 18 out of these medical centres were sponsored by Dr. Abbas Tajudeen. The 21 Federal Medical Centres signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari include,. Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Federal Medical Centre, AwareFederal Medical Centre, Bida, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu,Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, Federal Medical Centre, Gusau,Federal Medical Centre, Ado-Ekiti and Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo.
Others are; Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi,Federal Medical Centre, Nguru,Federal Medical Centre, Owerri,Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Federal Medical Centre, Wase,Federal Medical Centre, Yenegoa and Federal Medical Centre, Hong.
Apart from FMC Abuja, FMC Wase and FMC Hong, all other Federal Medical Centres listed above were sponsored by Dr. Abbas Tajuddeen.
Motions set by him are, Multiple statutory violations by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and need for Legislative Intervention to Foster Fiscal Responsibility; Urgent need to regulate the uncoordinated establishment of Pharmaceutical shops and Medical Clinics in Nigeria; Need to Investigate the Congestion and Double Parking of Trailers at Maraban Jos in Igabi Local Government and Tafa in Kagarko Local Government Areas of Kaduna State along Zaria – Kaduna – Abuja Express way.”
Others are, Urgent need to initiate Strict measures to address the Menace of Overloading of commercial vehicles on Nigerian Roads; Need to regulate visiting Lecturing by the Nationwal Universities Commission (NUC); The Need to stop Medical Officers in Public Service of the Federation from Engaging in private Medical Practice for personal gains; The Need for Federal Government to re visit the return of toll gates in our Federal Highways for effective maintenance and enhanced security.
We also have, The need for FIRS and other relevant Revenue Generating agencies to employ the use of biometrics in establishing, ascertaining, and assessing ownership of Landed properties in Federal Capital Abuja for the purpose of tax and other related matters; The need to investigate the alleged cover-up by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Finance on persons involved with inflating salary/wages of MDA staff as a fallout of the recently introduced IPPIS system. Urgent need for the House to intervene in the brewing crisis between the Federal Government and ASUU on the implementation of the integrated payroll and personal information system IPPIS in Federal Universities.
Zaria Federal Constituency which Tajudeen represents consists of 13 wards and there are projects executed by this lawmaker on each of these wards (2019 to 2023). Construction and Equipping of Primary Health Center Bizara, Dambo Ward, Zaria; Construction and Equipping of Modern ICT Centre Amaru, Kwarbai A Ward, Zaria; Construction of 2Blocks of 6 Class rooms JSS Dallatu, Dutsen Abba ;Ward,Construction of Solar Powered Borehole with 20,000 Litres Steel Overhead Tank at Magume, Tukur Tukur Ward, Zaria and Road Rehabilitation from Anguwan Kaya Junction to FCE Junction, Anguwa Kaya, Gyallesu ward, Zaria among many others.
Contribution of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas to his Alma Mater: ABU Zaria
Dr Tajuddeen Abbas recently secured five billion Naira Federal Government intervention projects for Ahmadu Bello University.
This was disclosed by the Chairman, Zaria Local Government, Engr. Jameel Ahmad Muhammad, during a courtesy visit to the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kabiru Bala.
So of his many intervention projects executed at Kongo Campus includes installation of solar mini grid, the rehabilitation of the Kongo sports complex, etc
The Speaker has begun the process of building a new building for the Faculty of Social Sciences and others based on the recommendation of the University. He also planned to facilitate the renovation of other facilities at the Kongo Campus.
Hon. Abbas Tajudeen is happily married, and there are no known details about his family.
