Rep. Dennis Idahosa (APC-Edo), has described the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, as a Pan-Nigeria who always works for the growth and development of the country.

This is contained in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, by Idahosa, congratulating the speaker on the occasion of his 60th birthday coming up on Sunday.

Idahosa, representing Ovia Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, said that the Speaker, within a short time in office, had been able to galvanise the lawmakers, irrespective of political party affiliations.

He noted that it was not a coincidence that Abass shares the same birth date with the country.

He added that since his relationship with the speaker, he had never failed to notice the burning passion for a greater country in him (Speaker) whenever issues about Nigeria come into discuss.

The lawmaker explained that on assumption of office as the speaker of the 10th Assembly, Abass put modality in place to ensure close working relationship between the executive and the legislature without necessarily compromising the independent of the legislature.

Idahosa, who is the chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, stressed that these were all geared towards the growth and development of the country.

“Mr Speaker” is a rare Nigerian whose every word and action, in and out of the legislative chamber is to ensure the unity and development of the country.

“His patriotism has led to the conversion of some of us that may have lost hope in the country.

“It is not by incident that the speaker who marks his 60th birthday this Sunday shares same date of divinity with Nigeria,” he said.

He further said that the Speaker’s patriotism towards the unity and development of the country should be emulated by well-meaning Nigerians, desirous of change in the fortune of the country.

He added that the same patriotism is the driving force behind the Speaker setting up of some new House committees for effective oversight functions.

The lawmaker said that Abass had reasoned that some of the committees were too large for effective oversight functions.

According to him, some of the committees have over 300 agencies to supervise, making it difficult for oversight functions.

“It was for this reason, that Mr Speaker had to break some to create additional committees from 109 to 134 to allow for efficiency and effective supervision of the agencies and perform other oversight functions on the Executive,” he said.

Idahosa called on Nigerians not to loose hope in the country in spite of the present economic hardship and called for support for President Bola Tinubu in other to achieve his “Renewed Hope” Agenda.

“I am aware of this present hardship, let it be known that no one is immune from the hardship, but we should endure, for a greater Nigeria will emerge from this,” he said.