In a recent election held on Tuesday, Tajudeen Abbas emerged victorious with 353 votes, surpassing his competitors Sani Jaji, a Zamfara lawmaker, and Idris Wase, a Plateau lawmaker and former deputy speaker, who both received 3 votes each.
The outcome of this election marks a significant achievement for Abbas in his political career.
Birthed into royalty, Abbas, the lawmaker representing Zaria federal constituency, was born three years after Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1963, into a ruling family in the Zazzau Emirate nestled in the ancient city of Zaria, Zaria LGA of Kaduna state.
He holds the traditional title of Iyan Zazzau. His great-grandfather was an emir in the Zazzau Emirate. He comes from the Mallawa dynasty of the emirate. Meanwhile, his mother hails from Dutsen Kura in Malumfashi LGA of Katsina state.
Abbas was enrolled at the LEA Primary School, Lemu, Zaria, where he obtained his first school leaving certificate (FSLC). Continuing in his pursuit of knowledge, he went to the Government Secondary School in Makarfi, where he acquired the West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) in 1978.
With an insatiable hunger for academic excellence, he obtained a Grade I certificate at Kaduna Teacher’s College in 1981. Abbas then proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria where he studied accounting and bagged a diploma in 1984.
His academic odyssey continued unabated as he obtained a B.Sc in business administration from Ahmadu Bello University in 1988. He bagged an M.Sc in business administration from the same institution in 1993. Abbas went further to get a PhD from Usman Dan Fodio University in Sokoto.
He also obtained another B.Sc in Business Administration Management from Usman Dan Fodio University.
Abbas was a primary school teacher from 1981 to 1988. In June 1998, Abbas decided to temporarily veer away from the familiar path of civil service. He delved into the private sector, joining the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) Plc in Jos. For three years and three months, he held the esteemed position of a general manager, navigating through the complexities of the industry.
Abbas later joined the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in September 2001, where he lectured until June 2005.