We Feel Your Pains, Hear Your Cries, Working For Solutions, Abbas
Tells Nigerians
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen on
Thursday told Nigerians that lawmakers in the Green Chamber felt their
pains, heard their protests (cry) and are not relenting in finding out
solutions to ameliorate their sufferings.
Abbas who stated this at a press conference on the state of the nation
in Abuja, assured Nigerians that the lawmakers were not in the
parliament to take care of themselves but to protect the interest of
their constituents, especially with regards to their security and
welfare.
“We are not here to take care of ourselves, we here to represent our
people and at this time with the kind of hardship Nigerians are facing
it is expedient to come collectively and tell the world that we are
concerned.
“We feel their pains, we hear their protests and we will not relent in
finding out solutions to ameliorate their sufferings. We are here to
ensure that…we do everything humanly possible to bring succour,” he
said.
Abbas said, the House is acutely aware of the rising security and
challenges affecting different parts of the country and it will keep
security agencies and government and the entire executive arm on their
toes to guarantee security and welfare of the people being the basic
essence of government.
He the legislature will carry out thorough oversight in line with its
legislative agenda to ensure the military hardwares such as the T-129
ATAK helicopter and the King Air 360i aircraft launched for the
Nigerian Air Force are effectively deployed for tackling insecurity.
“As elected representatives, we acknowledge the pain and suffering of
every family that has been a victim of brutal crimes and needless
violence. Let it be known that your cries have not fallen on deaf
ears, and your tears have not gone unseen.
“We stand in solidarity with every Nigerian affected and commit to
deploying robust legislative measures to empower our security
agencies, ensure justice, and restore peace and order in our
communities.
“As emphasised in our Legislative Agenda, the time has come for us to
demand greater transparency from our security agencies and full
accountability for all the funds spent and earmarked for spending in
the sector.
“We are aware of the economic challenges facing our constituents
across Nigeria. Of particular concern to the House is the high
inflation rates, particularly the rate of food inflation.
“We in the National Assembly have supported and will continue to
support the government’s efforts in finding effective solutions to
these challenges. I wish to reassure all Nigerians that the House will
prioritise funding for programmes and initiatives to alleviate hunger
and enhance security,” he emphasised.
Abbas however decried the rising waves what he described as fake news
which not healthy for the country’s progress and stability, recalling,
“the recent unjustified and baseless allegations against the Chief of
Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, point to the danger of
an unfettered and unaccountable social media.
He said, “such acts not only undermine the integrity of our democracy
but also erode the fabric of our national unity,” stressing that the
House intends to strengthen libel, slander, and defamation
legislations.
“To avoid being misquoted or quoted out of context, I wish to make it
categorically clear that the House has no intention to stifle free
speech. Instead, our objective is to protect the dignity of
individuals and the integrity of public discourse.
“We will ensure that these laws are balanced, providing room for
healthy and constructive criticism while safeguarding individuals and
institutions from malicious and unfounded attacks,” the Speaker added.
