Members of the House of Representatives from various political parties convened on Wednesday to advocate for the conferment of the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
This call comes in response to what they described as a demeaning recognition given to the Speaker and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, following President Bola Tinubu’s recent announcement of national honours during his Independence Day speech.
During Wednesday’s plenary session, Deputy Spokesman Philip Agbese moved a motion of urgent public importance, emphasizing that the treatment of the House of Representatives seemed to suggest it was inferior to the Senate. He noted that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was awarded a GCON, while the Speaker received a lower honour. Agbese pointed out that, according to the order of protocol, the Speaker is ranked 4th, which raises questions about the rationale behind these distinctions.
Lawmakers took turns voicing their concerns, clarifying that their statements were not merely in defense of Abbas as an individual, but rather a representation of the dignity of the Office of the Speaker.
They expressed a collective desire for equitable recognition and respect for the roles each branch of government plays in the nation’s governance.
