Ibrahim Sulaiman
A coalition of Zaria-based groups and members of opposition political parties has endorsed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, for another term in office.
The coalition announced its position at a World Press Conference in Zaria, Kaduna State, following an assessment of development projects and engagements with communities across the Zaria Federal Constituency.
Convener of the coalition, Malam Alhassan Ishak Alhassan, said the endorsement was based on what the group described as measurable achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and youth development.
He said the coalition had deliberately adopted an objective approach by identifying areas where the Speaker needed to improve while also acknowledging projects and interventions considered beneficial to constituents.
According to him, the coalition previously organised the Zaria Youth, Peace and Development Roundtable, which brought together elders, academics, professionals, youth leaders, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and political stakeholders to assess development across the constituency.
Malam Alhassan said the assessment showed that 96 out of 160 primary schools in the constituency had been renovated.
He added that healthcare interventions had resulted in the provision of more than 1,520-bed capacity facilities across the eight local government areas within the constituency.
The coalition also said 78 community road projects had been initiated, with 28 completed, 25 under construction and another 25 captured in the 2026 budget.
Other interventions cited by the group included the ongoing construction of a technology incubation centre at Nagoyi, as well as agricultural support programmes involving the distribution of more than 200 truckloads of fertiliser and over 70 tractors to farmers.
The coalition, however, acknowledged that some areas required further attention, including the maintenance of completed projects, quality assurance, transparency, increased community participation and the speedy completion of ongoing projects.
The convener stressed that the endorsement was not intended as political propaganda but was the outcome of consultations, direct observations, project assessments and engagements with residents across the constituency.
He said the decision to support Abbas Tajudeen for another term was driven by the need to sustain ongoing projects and ensure that institutions and development initiatives already established in the constituency become fully operational.
The coalition pledged to continue holding elected representatives accountable, emphasizing that its endorsement would not prevent it from asking questions, offering constructive criticism or demanding value for public resources.
It said its support for the Speaker remained subject to continued performance, accountability and responsiveness to the needs of constituents.