The 10th Assembly and the need for a practical legislator
By Lamir Umar Ibrahim
In all my stay in the apex assembly, legislation is not a child’s play. Passing a bill involves the most strategic partnership between the members, as a sponsor of the bill you have to bargain for the support of your fellow members before the bill gets weight, considered and passed.
So, passing a single bill is a herculean task. Apart from lobbying you have to do the politics, the politics of national assembly requires tactics, strategies, competence and courage.
When I saw the need to throw support to the aspiration of the speakership of the 10th Assembly, I quickly identified with the ‘silent achiever’, the mirror of excellence, Hon. Tajuddeen Abbas because with Sen. Tinubu as the President, the need for a practical legislator to lead the 10th Assembly becomes inevitable.
President Tinubu has been an advocate of competence before loyalty, therefore, when it comes to practical legislation, there is none can match the legislation acumen of Hon Taju in the national assembly. He has consistently sponsored 74 bills and 21 were passed into law.
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Some of the motions he set are: Urgent need to regulate the uncoordinated establishment of Pharmaceutical shops and Medical Clinics in Nigeria; Multiple statutory violations by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and need for Legislative Intervention to Foster Fiscal Responsibility; Strict measures to address the Menace of Overloading of commercial vehicles on Nigerian Roads; 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; Need to regulate visiting Lecturing by the National Universities Commission (NUC); Need for Federal Government to re visit the return of toll gates in our Federal Highways for effective maintenance and enhanced security; Need to stop Medical Officers in Public Service of the Federation from Engaging in private Medical Practice for personal gains.
Majority of the members-elect have thrown their support for Hon. Taju, with the rest considering to join his team. Nigerians need 10th Assembly to be headed by the replica of Femi, who presides the assembly with all sense of commitment, competence and singularity of purpose.
A PhD holder with the prerequisite knowledge of legislation is more deserving to steer the affairs of the 10th assembly. President Tinubu came onboard well prepared, the need not to slow down his modus operandi calls for competence and tireless commitment of the speaker of the 10th assembly.
There is no better aspirant to occupy this mighty office than Dr. Tajuddeen, he is loyal, hardworking and dedicating.
Out of the 21 bills president Buhari signed into law to establish federal medical centres, 18 were sponsored by Dr. Tajudden and the following are some of the bills Hon. Tajuddeen sponsored and the President has signed into law:
I. National Centre for Economic Management and Administration Act.
II. Bill for an act to Repeal the Nigeria Council for Management Development Act.
III. National Blood Transfusion Bill
Nigeria needs serious leaders to turn things around, with the recent demonstrations of leadership muscle by Mr. President, Dr. Taju will be a supportive pillar from the legislative arm of the government to exercise competent stewardship.
The need for a practical legislator and the lover of the country is of great importance in a challenging time like this.
Hon. Lamir writes from Abuja.
