The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has secured the All Progressives Congress ticket to contest for a fifth consecutive term in the House ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abbas emerged unopposed as the APC candidate for Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State following an affirmation exercise held across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The exercise was conducted simultaneously on Saturday in Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur and Kaura wards.
The Speaker, who first entered the House of Representatives in 2011 and became Speaker of the 10th Assembly in 2023, was the sole aspirant cleared for the contest.
At Kwarbai B Ward, his polling unit, the affirmation exercise was conducted peacefully under the supervision of party officials.
The APC secretary in the ward, Nafiu Sabo, said over 10,000 party members are registered in the area, but only 220 accredited delegates participated in the exercise.
The ward returning officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, said Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening and was cleared by the party.
At the end of the process across the 13 wards, the APC Returning Officer for the constituency, Dr Hamisu Kubau, announced that Abbas was affirmed by 1,376 delegates.
“There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and there is only one person who bought a form, screened, and cleared. He is Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas. To fulfil all the requirements, we went to all the wards and conducted affirmation. INEC officials and party officials are here. The exercise was conducted peacefully,” he said.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored the exercise.
The Chairman of the APC House of Representatives primary election committee in Kaduna State, Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of Abbas’ popularity in the constituency.
Abbas, in his reaction, thanked party members for renewing their confidence in him and pledged to continue effective representation.
“My best days as your representative are ahead,” the Speaker said, assuring constituents that he would continue to work to justify the trust reposed in him.
He also urged party supporters to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The breakdown of the affirmed votes from the 13 wards showed Kwarbai A recorded 97 votes; Kwarbai B, 220; Unguwar Juma, 98; Limancin-Kona, 97; Kaura, 95; Tudun Wada, 96; Gyallesu, 95; Unguwar Fatika, 92; Tukur-Tukur, 97; Dambo, 98; Wuchichiri, 97; Dutsen Abba, 100; and Kufena, 94, bringing the total to 1,376 votes.