President Bola Tinubu has officially conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) title on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
This decision comes after a previous announcement during Tinubu’s 64th Independence Anniversary broadcast, where he awarded the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) title to both Abbas and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
The initial recognition sparked dissatisfaction within the House of Representatives, which argued that Abbas deserved a higher honor similar to that awarded to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Lawmakers emphasized that both chambers of the National Assembly are equal and insisted that the House should not be regarded as a lower chamber.
Responding to these concerns, Tinubu has now upgraded Abbas’s title from CFR to GCON, acknowledging the House’s position and correcting what was perceived as a historical oversight. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the nation’s second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas,” said Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), in a statement on Friday evening.
Onanuga noted that the decision aligns with the National Order of Precedence, indicating a commitment to addressing the concerns raised by the House. Abbas, alongside Akpabio and other principal officers of the National Assembly, as well as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, will be formally decorated with their new honors in a forthcoming ceremony.
In light of the House’s demands, the Presidency reiterated the importance of maintaining a harmonious relationship between the Senate and the House of Representatives. Basheer Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, emphasized that the House did not reject the honor initially conferred on Abbas but sought clarification regarding the National Order of Precedence.
President Tinubu remains committed to fostering cooperation between both arms of government, highlighting its essential role in Nigeria’s development objectives.
