Speaker Abass Under Fire Claim He Built First House Aged 19

By Akinwale Kasali

Tajudeen Abass, Speaker of the House of Representatives has been criticized by Social Media Users over his statement during his interactive session with Select Public Secondary School students, that he struggled to fend for himself while growing up. He, also, narrated  how he built his first house at just 19 Years of age.

Abass went further to say that nobody sponsored him in his political career; that he rose to become the Speaker of the Ninth Assembly.

He also said that he has no Political godfather, as nobody sponsored or supported his emergence in politics.

According to the Speaker: “By the time I reached the age of 19, I was already a homeowner.

“A homeowner at 19 years old. I built my own house based on my sweat. I never needed one single contribution from any member of my family.

“By the time I finished secondary school, something very very dramatic happened. I went to my father and told him that I had come to say bye-bye to him and that I was going to the National Youth Service, NYSC.

“He was lying down, he stood up and looked at me and said, Abbas when did you go to the University, when did you go to the University?

“I said, Baba, I’ve been studying all these years; he never knew. Because he never sees me coming to ask him, ‘Give me school fees,’ give me money for books, give me this, give me that.

“That is the kind of environment I grew up, believing that I can do it for myself”.

The Speaker went further and said, “And even when I ventured into politics, I’m probably one of the few you find in this country who does not have a godfather in politics.

“Nobody ever supported me or sponsored me, nobody; I didn’t hide under anybody’s umbrella to be elected or to be re-elected.

“I believe in myself and serve my people diligently. They appreciated and they kept re-electing me.

“Believe in yourself, be very hardworking, be very prayerful, be very honest, be very transparent.”

Nigerians have however queried that the Speaker never disclosed what business or job he was doing to have built a house at that tender age.

Social Media Users also queried Abass to disclose his source of money that which enabled him sponsor himself all through his University days and when he decided to leave home.

@debby_kelvin said that it baffles her when the political class come and spew gibberish and become unnecessary motivational Speaker when it is obvious they are lying. “Make him disclose his source of wealth”.

Another Netizen, @squillaci_Bart said the Speaker was mainly playing to the gallery, saying that the Speaker is encouraging the young ones to delve into heinous crime and make money. “How can a 19 Year old build a house, why is he been deceitful. We need to investigate and query his source of wealth”, he stated.