From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Deputy chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Philip Agbese, has said that the leadership style of the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, is responsible for the peace in the parliament.
Agbese, in a interview with journalists, in Abuja, said unlike previous assemblies, the 10th House has been very peaceful, owing largely to the ability of the speaker to carry every member along.
He added that Abbas’ leadership style has also engendered a very cordial working relationship with the Executive arm of government, nothing that
the era of bickering and wasting precious time of the parliament on crisis that are seen as anti-progress and un-parliamentary, are over.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, also attributed the success of the passage of the 2024 budget in record time to the maturity in the leadership of the Honourable Speaker, which has helped to sustain the January-December budget cycle.
According to him, “there were times in this country when the President was bullied and yelled at when he appeared before a joint session of the National Assembly to present a budget estimates. This was done by aggrieved personalities who are Members of the Parliament.
“But you see this 10th Assembly, Members of Parliament are at peace with the executive, making the business of governance to move in neck breaking speed, to the advantage of the common people. It does not mean that the Parliament is rubber-stamped; it simply means the Lawmakers put the general interest of the people far above personal interests and both arms of government respect their boundaries in balancing their powers.
“This could only be possible in an Assembly where the Speaker handles issues with maturity and sees Nigeria as his project and how the project grows is only his business, nothing more.
“These and many other qualities you cannot take away from the Honourable Speaker of the 10th House and if you peep into the Legislative Agenda of the 10th House, you would believe that this is just an early morning on creation day. Nigerians should expect the best Assembly ever in the history of this country, under His Excellency, RT. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (Ph.D)”.