The House of Representatives has turned down President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to award the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, deeming it discriminatory and unacceptable.
This resolution came during a plenary session on Wednesday, where lawmakers contended that the honour intended for Abbas is lesser in status compared to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), which is set to be awarded to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Members of the House emphasized that, as a bicameral legislature consisting of two equal chambers, it is unjust to grant a higher distinction to the Senate President.
They further noted that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who holds a lower rank in protocol than the Speaker, is also slated to receive the GCON, accentuating the perceived inequality in the honors being conferred.
Several lawmakers referenced prominent Nigerians such as Aliko Dangote and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who have received the GCON despite never holding elected office, reinforcing the argument that Speaker Abbas should likewise be awarded the same honour. In response to this issue, the House has established an ad hoc committee tasked with engaging the Ministry of Special Duties to ensure their concerns are taken into account.
This decision followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Philip Agbese, a representative from Benue, who underscored that the National Assembly is constitutionally recognized as a bicameral legislature with two chambers of equal standing.
Agbese criticized the “culture of discrimination” against the House of Representatives as inappropriate and detrimental to the principles of equality within the legislature.
