Reps Push for GCON Award for Speaker Abbas Over Tinubu’s CFR Honor
The 10th House of Representatives has rejected the award of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) given to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Lawmakers voiced concerns about what they saw as unfairness in how national honors were distributed among the leaders of the National Assembly.
During Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the awarding of national honors to several key figures, including the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
In a motion supported by all 360 members, the House pointed out that Akpabio and Justice Kekere-Ekun received the higher Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) honor.
The House rejected the CFR honor for Speaker Abbas, arguing that both the Senate and the House of Representatives have equal standing, and the House, known as the Green Chamber, should not be seen as less important.
They urged President Tinubu to fix what they saw as a mistake, noting that the CJN, who they believe ranks below the Speaker, was given the GCON honor.
Additionally, Tinubu awarded the CFR to Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and gave the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) honor to the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu.
