A dissatisfied House of Representatives on Wednesday demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu upgrade the planned Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) award for Speaker of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, to Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
This decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the deputy chairman House Committee on Media, Rep. Philip Agbese and supported by 248 other members.
Agbese in his lead debate highlighted the constitutional establishment of the National Assembly as a bicameral legislature, comprising two equal chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Members of the House argued that the Speaker should receive the GCON, citing their position as the fourth citizen in the country’s protocol ranking . They also questioned why the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who ranks lower than the Speaker, received the GCON.
Rep. Babajimi Benson, a member of the House, described the move as an injustice to the institution of the House of Representatives. He emphasized that this inequality has been ongoing for too long and is an institutional error.
No Rejection
But following a backlash from the public, especially online, the House in a statement by Agbese, denied rejecting the CFR honours for the Speaker as announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of his Independence Day speech on Tuesday.
The statement read in part: “It is important to reaffirm that the House did not reject the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) honour conferred on Speaker Abbas by His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The House celebrates this prestigious award conferred by Mr. President in exercise of his powers under the National Honours Act.
“It serves as a tribute to the Speaker’s distinguished service to the nation and underscores the vital role of the House of Representatives in Nigeria’s development.
“We wish to clarify therefore, that this is not a matter for personal advancement of the Speaker, but a multi partisan request for recognition of the institution of the House of Representatives by all stakeholders within the framework of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. The media is urged to accurately report that, in view of the foregoing, the House resolved to respectfully urge the President to consider upgrading the honour to align with the National Order of Precedence”.
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