Members of the House of Representatives, have reportedly drawn from various political parties calling for the conferment of the national honor of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, on the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, on Wednesday.
According to reports, the House described as demeaning the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic on the Speaker and the GCON on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, by President Bola Tinubu.
Furthermore, moving a motion of urgent public importance during Wednesday’s plenary session, Philip Agbese, the Deputy Spokesman of the House, described as unacceptable the treatment of the House of Representatives as if it were inferior to the Senate, in apparent reference to the conferment of the GCON on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
He also stated that in the order of protocol, the Speaker is ranked 4th, questioning why the CJN, who is ranked 5th, was accorded a higher honor.
While taking turns to make their contributions, the lawmakers, however, said they were not speaking for Abbas as an individual, but for the Office of the Speaker.
Recall Niger Delta Connect reported that, President Bola Tinubu has conferred the prestigious national honor of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The announcement was made during a nationwide broadcast in Abuja on Tuesday as part of celebrations commemorating Nigeria's progress as a sovereign nation.
According to Niger Delta Connect, Both Akpabio and Kekere-Ekun were praised for their leadership roles in their respective offices, with President Tinubu highlighting their dedication to upholding democratic principles and ensuring the effective functioning of the legislative and judicial branches of government.
President Tinubu also remarked on the importance of recognizing national service and the significance of the honors bestowed.
"The Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria have been granted the honor of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the service of the Nigerian people and the strengthening of our democracy," he said.
His Excellency also noted that the full list of recipients of national honors for 2024 would soon be announced, signaling that more individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation would be recognized in the near future.
Finally, alongside the conferment of the GCON on Akpabio and Kekere-Ekun, President Tinubu also awarded the national honor of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, CFR, to Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas. Their roles in shaping the legislative agenda and ensuring the smooth operation of the National Assembly were cited as instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s democratic governance.
