An NGO, Presidential School Debate of Nigeria (PSDN), has named the Speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, as the Best Speaker in North-Central Nigeria.
He was given an award for it, his Press Secretary, Mr Jibrin Gwamna, said in a statement issued in Lafia on Friday.
Gwamna said in the statement that PDSN also named Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, as the Best Speaker in the Southwest.
It named Zamfara House of Assembly Speaker, Dr Nasiru Mu’azu, as Best Speaker in the Northwest.
Rivers Speaker, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, was named Best Speaker in the South-South, while Gombe State Speaker, Abubakar Ibrahim, was named Best Speaker in the Northeast, the statement said.
It added that Ebonyi Speaker, Frances Nwifuru, was named Best Speaker in the Southeast.
The statement also indicated that Mr Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker, House of Representatives, was named the best of former speakers.
It said that the award to Nasarawa speaker was made in Abuja on Friday by Mr Ibrahim Babangida, a member of the House of Representatives, who represented Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
Babangida commended Abdullahi for his wonderful and outstanding performance in legislative business.
In his remarks, Chairman of the PSDN, and former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Muhammad Usman, said the Nasarawa State speaker was chosen by a PSDN committee after thorough assessment and evaluation.
He said that the committee discovered that the Nasarawa speaker stood tall in the North-Central.
On his part, the National Co-ordinator of PSDN, Elder Dare Oritu, said Nasarwa State House of Assembly was doing great in the passage of effective laws and resolutions.
He said the House was also doing well in oversight functions, discipline, general performance and conduct and in securing of integrity and respect for legislations.
“For a very long time now we have been monitoring and assessing activities of states Houses of Assembly, especially on legislations that concern education to pick out the best among the speakers.
“About 75 per cent to 80 per cent of criteria used were derived from media coverage and from our reliable journalists,’’ he said.
Responding, Mr Daniel Ogazi, Deputy Majority Leader of the Nasarawa House of Assembly, who took the award on behalf of the speaker, said it would spur him to do more.
Ogazi is the Nasarawa House of Assembly’s chairman, Committee on Education,
He said that Abdullahi had dedicated the award to all his colleagues at the assembly, whom he said were brains behind the success.
Ogazi reaffirmed the commitment of the Nasarawa House of Assembly to continue to pass laws and make resolutions that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state. (NAN)
