Ahmad Saidu, a supporter of House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, has apologised for grabbing the speaker's gown during his re-election declaration in Zaria. Saidu, also known as Abba and resident of Unguwar Juma in Zaria, said he approached Tajudeen at the Mallawa Eid Ground to seek help with medical treatment for a fractured right hand. The injury, sustained in an accident, left his hand broken in three places. He had been treated at the Traditional Orthopedic Centre, Likoro, and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital before being referred to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.
Saidu told newsmen on Monday that financial constraints halted further treatment after initial support ended. He said he approached the speaker hoping for assistance, but as he reached out and held Tajudeen's gown to show his injury, security personnel intervened and dragged him away. The incident was captured in a viral video that showed the speaker briefly staggering on the podium. Saidu expressed regret, stating he would not have acted if he knew it would cause national embarrassment. He described himself as a supporter of the speaker and praised his past interventions for others.
The father of the injured man, Malam Sa'idu-Ibrahim Abubakar, also apologised to the speaker. He said their family had struggled with medical expenses for over two years across the same hospitals before returning home. He accused political opponents of exploiting the incident to spread false narratives about Tajudeen. He commended the speaker for later agreeing to cover his son's medical bills despite the scene at the event. The News Agency of Nigeria reported the viral footage circulated shortly after the declaration ceremony.
Abbas Tajudeen accepts medical responsibility for a supporter who disrupted his re-election event after being denied earlier help. If his office only responds when public embarrassment follows a plea, then quiet suffering will always be ignored. The speaker's intervention came only after a video of the incident went viral. Those without a moment of visibility may never get the same relief.
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