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2 years in office: leadership and stability speaker of the tenth house of representatives
… opinions of legislators
By Obute James
The tenth national assembly was inaugurated on June 13, 2023 following the election of Senator Godswill Akpabio as President and Senator of the Senate Jbrin Barau as vice -president of the Senate and the election of RT. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen Ph.d as the speaker of the House of Representatives and RT. Hon. Benjamin Kalu as vice president. The Nigerian Senate includes 109 senators while the room of representatives consists of 360 members.
Seven political parties have won the elections in the Senate, include all the progressives of the congress (APC) 59; Democratic Party of people (PDP) 36; Labor Party (LP) 8,; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 2; Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2, All Progressiveives Grand Alliance (APGA) 1 and Young Progressive Party (YPP) 1. 106 men won the elections while women got 3 seats. Likewise, eight political parties won the elections in the room of representatives. They include APC 180; PDP 116; LP 35; Nnpp 19; Apga 5; SDP 2; African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2 and YPP 1. While outside 360 ββseats men got 346 seats, women in the other part obtained 14 seats.
Over the years the leadership of the House of Representatives has been inserted with more caution in the Senate because apart from the number of members that is larger than the Senate, the green room is also made up of young people from the Senate. At the inauguration, some political commentators argued that the speaker Abbas may not find easy in piloting the affairs of the tenth house of representatives due to some factors such as the large number of political parts of the opposition that has won almost half the total number of seats, the total number of return legislators who are much less than the members of the first term. After February 26, 2023, the first term parliamentarians {members} are 250 which include 69.8%
About two years after taking the cloak of the green chamber leadership, Abbas, through its leadership qualities, not only demonstrated experts and some political commentators who have planned difficulty managing the business affairs, but has been able to demonstrate to the Nigerians and the international community that manages the affairs of the house without hitches.
As at the time of this relationship, the waves of defection and political realignment have slightly modified the position of each of the political parties that have won the elections to the Chamber of Representatives. With the defection of 8 members on Tuesday 6 May 2025, the total number of members of the Chamber of Representatives who deserted to other political parties were at 24. Two weeks later in the same month, 7 members unloaded their parties bringing the total number of for 31 to 31 The Popular Democratic Party has undergone the highest friction, with seventeen (17) defections, followed by the Labor Party with Otto (8), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) (4) The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the young Progress Party (YPP) have each lost a member. In particular, no defections have occurred from the APC to any other political party.
Although guiding the affairs of the House of Representatives is not a game for children, one of the areas that Abbas has distinguished itself was the management of the invoices of the tax reforms that have generated many disputes with many members of the parts in power they have kicked against it. Several legislators who kicked the tax invoices and describing them as deaths at the arrival ironically voted in his favor due to the street and the way the speaker Abbas managed the question of the invited invoices controversial by many, including the Northern Governors forum, which initially appealed to the president to withdraw them.
The heat generated by the invoices of the tax reform has led to a coalition that includes members of both the parties of Advolution and the opposition to the Chamber of Representatives, but with the rapid action of Abbas who immediately suspended the debate on tax reform invoices pending its commitment with the relevant parties, the table subsequently changed in favor of invoices, although there were some amendments during the public hearing on the public on the public
The four tax reform invoices include: the tax invoice of Nigeria, the invoice of the tax administration, the invoice of the joint revenue institute and the invoice of the Nigeria Revenue Service. The bills were sent by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly on October 3, 2024. The Senate approved the bills for the second reading in November 2024 when the opposition against the projects was so high. The room of representatives in February 2025 after many consultations and a large debate approved the bills for the second reading. In March 2025, the Chamber approved the bills after its third reading
The salient points of the invoices: some of the areas that have generated disputes but have been modified include the heritage tax, the rate of value added tax (VAT) and the distribution formula, and also the clause on the continuous financing of Tetfund, Nasens and Nypsy of the Development Levies Fund. On the distribution of VAT revenue, 10% for the Federal Government, 55% to the States and the territory of the Federal Capital (FCT) and 35% to local governments. The amount of VAT revenues that stood at the credit of local states and governments must be distributed together on the basis: of the same – 50 %, population – 20 %and consumption – 30 %. Consumption is determined by the place of consumption, regardless of where the performance is filed.
The report of the Conference on bills was however presented during the plenary session before the legislators proceeded for the break of Sallah and Democracy Day in May.
Good leadership leads to a good followers
Responding to Abbas’s leadership style, Hon. (Barr.) Ademorin Kuye, President, Committee for Public Activities and representative of the Federal Electoral College of Somolu of the State of Lagos, said that a good leadership causes a good follower:
He said: “The merit must go to Mr. Speaker, who has shown the highest unimaginable degree of camaraderie among the members. See, when he gives a good leadership, you get a good followers. It is for the abundance of love that Mr. Abbas has constantly exposed in official ability and in personal ability and in a personal life, the way in which he touched their official life and in their personal lives that we have never had a personal life, That Mr. Abba was constantly shown in official ability and personal ability and in personal life, the way he touched their personal life.
Abbas is a man whose decision is largely based on the overall interests of the country and members. He worries, listens, understands and hears what we feel, in addition to manifesting and shows the highest degree of patience. It is not seen as the boss, but like our colleague, first among people. The way he sees himself, and this is how it refers to us. So it simplifies the work. “
Good leadership prevents a child from being thrown away with dirty water
Answer also, the Hon. Joshua Audu Gana, representing the Federal Electoral College of Lavon/Mokwa/Bedes of the State of the Niger, said that it was cases in which the good invoices were thrown away due to the street and the ways that have been managed and presented in front of the legislators. According to him, the way the speaker has managed several issues, in particular the invoices of the tax reforms is commendable.
He said that many of the laws that have been considered from 1939 to today are obsolete and dying and are not helping people.
“We want a more functional system that can help the Nigerians and free all the ends loose, the losses in the system an unknown taxation that occurs in the corners and cracks that we are not aware of, we want all those things to be out of the system so that the country and its people move forward,” said Gana.
Consultation, key for success
Hon Kwamoti Bitrus Laori, President, Committee for Public Petitions and Vice -President, the northern Caucus has declared one of the RT leadership styles. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen Ph.D. President of the Chamber of Representatives is the use of the consultation. According to him, the speaker used him in several cases but has become evident during the consideration of tax reform invoices.
“I really have to praise Mr. Speaker because it was a piece of legislation that was ready to spread and cause chaos and disharmony at home. But his acumen, dexterity, patience and managerial skills have entered the play and was able to calm the deemed nerves and assumed full responsibility.
“This is one of the bills I have seen for a long time, in which the speaker consulted with almost everyone, state by state, went to the governors, went to various areas, asked for leadership meetings and gave the necessary certainty. He said, look, everyone’s mind should be at rest, he is at the top of this situation and nobody will be closed. And obviously he kept his words and did it.
“The speaker has managed many problems, but I think this is the best he has done and must be praised. Honestly speaking, without any attached feeling, I think he has been exceptionally well,” he said.
