Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has firmly denied allegations linking him to the purported mismanagement of ₦18.6 billion associated with the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) headquarters project.
The allegations, raised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), suggested that the Speaker should account for funds allegedly tied to the construction project. But in a statement released on you Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Speaker Abbas dismissed the claims as “factually incorrect and misleading.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Speaker wishes to state unequivocally that he has no involvement—directly or indirectly—in the award, processing, supervision, or payment of any contract within the National Assembly bureaucracy or any of its agencies,” the statement read.
Krishi clarified that all contract-related decisions in the National Assembly are handled strictly within the administrative arm, which operates under its own statutory leadership and procurement framework. He noted that the NASC headquarters project “was conceived, awarded, and contractually executed long before the current House leadership emerged.”
The Speaker’s office urged SERAP, media organisations, and members of the public to respect the institutional boundaries separating political leadership from administrative responsibilities within the National Assembly.
The statement further cautioned civil society groups and journalists against making unverified claims or attributing procurement decisions to political office holders without due diligence.
“Attempts to link the Speaker or the House leadership to such matters are not only inaccurate but also misleading,” the statement emphasised.
The Speaker’s office reiterated its commitment to transparency, urging responsible reporting and adherence to verified information in public discourse.
