BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
Arewa Youth Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence in the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, and called on members of the House to commence impeachment proceedings against him over what it described as alleged sectional appointments and abuse of office.
In a press statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, the group accused Abbas of presiding over what it termed a “dangerous concentration of power” skewed in favour of Zaria in Kaduna State, to the detriment of other parts of the state and the country.
The group alleged that several recent federal appointments were concentrated in Zaria, arguing that the pattern reflects what it called “calculated politics of exclusion” inconsistent with the federal character principle enshrined in the constitution.
Among the appointments cited were those of heads of key federal institutions, including agencies in the aviation, research, water resources, sports and population sectors. The group claimed that when viewed collectively, the appointments suggest a political monopoly centred around one locality.
“The office of the Speaker is a national trust and not a provincial inheritance,” the statement read. “When a Speaker uses his influence to cluster opportunities around one local government, he sends a message that other Nigerians do not matter.”
The Arewa Youth Assembly further demanded that the position of Speaker be zoned to the southern part of the country in the interest of equity, balance and national reconciliation. It argued that such a move would restore confidence in the leadership of the House and reinforce the spirit of inclusion.
The group also urged members of the House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against Abbas, insisting that his continued stay in office would further erode trust in democratic institutions.
In addition, the youth body called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to scrutinise requests emanating from the Speaker’s office, alleging that such requests may not reflect broader national interests.
The group expressed regret over what it described as its past support for Abbas, stating that it had initially backed him based on perceived competence and leadership capacity.
It warned that its future support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was not guaranteed if its demands were ignored, adding that grassroots confidence in the party was waning in parts of the North West.
The statement concluded that Nigeria deserves leadership that promotes unity and fairness, urging corrective steps to prevent what it described as potential political consequences ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Efforts to obtain reaction from the Speaker’s office were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
