The House of Representatives has dismissed reports suggesting cracks within its ranks, reaffirming its support for Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and restating its commitment to national development and constituency representation.
Reacting to a Leadership Newspapers report of August 30 which suggested an impending “showdown” in the Green Chamber, House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., said informal exchanges among Members on WhatsApp groups were being misrepresented as official caucus positions.
“The House remains united under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON,” Rotimi said in a statement on Sunday. “Informal conversations, while normal in a democracy, cannot represent resolutions of any caucus or the institution.”
On constituency projects, the House clarified that delayed contractor payments were a national fiscal challenge, not peculiar to lawmakers’ projects. It said the Leadership had been engaging the Minister of Finance and confirmed that payments had already begun.
The statement also addressed the controversy over recruitment into the National Assembly bureaucracy, stressing that the exercise was handled by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), an independent body. However, the Speaker has directed the House Committee on Public Service Matters to investigate the process to ensure fairness and adherence to Federal Character principles.
Rejecting claims of lopsided development, the House insisted it operates on equity, justice, and fairness.
While describing the report as misleading, the House noted that Members’ concerns remain focused on issues directly affecting citizens, including project implementation, equitable employment, and public safety.
“The 10th Assembly has remained cohesive, building consensus on national issues and ensuring every Member has a voice,” Rotimi said, adding that the House is preparing to resume on September 23 with renewed commitment to its legislative agenda.
