The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized President Bola Tinubu for awarding the visiting Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Nigeria’s second-highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, the Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, called the President’s decision a “misplaced priority.” He questioned the rationale behind awarding the prestigious honour to Modi, suggesting that it was unwarranted and lacked sufficient justification.
In response, Nze Chidi Duru, the Deputy National Organising Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), defended the President’s actions, stating that nothing about the award was unprecedented or inappropriate.
The PDP’s criticism came shortly after President Tinubu conferred the national honour on Modi during the Nigeria-India Bilateral Meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Tinubu explained that the award was a gesture of appreciation for the strong partnership and bilateral relations between Nigeria and India.
“Nigeria values its excellent relationship with India. We are committed to deepening and broadening this partnership for the mutual benefit of our two friendly nations. Prime Minister Modi has demonstrated remarkable leadership, winning three consecutive elections in a complex society, which we deeply respect,” Tinubu said.
He continued, “It is my pleasure to confer on you, the Prime Minister of India, Nigeria’s national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger. This award signifies our appreciation and commitment to our relationship with India.”
For his part, Prime Minister Modi expressed condolences for the recent devastating floods that affected several Nigerian cities, including Maiduguri in Borno State. He promised India’s support to Nigeria, offering 20 tonnes of relief materials.
“We had a very productive discussion with President Tinubu,” Modi said. “We talked about enhancing our strategic partnership, with great potential for collaboration in sectors such as defence, energy, technology, trade, health, and education.”
However, the PDP voiced its disappointment with the President’s decision, questioning the criteria for awarding such a prestigious honour. A member of the PDP’s National Working Committee emphasized that while the President has the constitutional right to confer national honours, there should be clear and objective criteria to justify why someone deserves such an accolade.
The criticism highlights ongoing debates about the awarding of national honours and the motivations behind such decisions.
