In a recent session, the House of Representatives has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to confer the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Lawmakers expressed that the decision was discriminatory and not acceptable.
During a plenary meeting on Wednesday, members of the House argued that the proposed honour was inferior 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. They emphasized that the National Assembly is a bicameral legislature, consisting of two equal chambers, making it unfair to give a higher honour to the Senate President.
Several lawmakers pointed out that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who holds a lower rank in protocol than the Speaker, would also receive the GCON, further illustrating the perceived discrimination. They argued that prominent Nigerians, including Aliko Dangote and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who have never held elected positions, have received the GCON, reinforcing the call for Speaker Abbas to receive the same honour.
The House has formed an ad hoc committee to work with the Ministry of Special Duties to address their concerns. This decision followed a motion sponsored by Philip Agbese, a lawmaker from Benue, which highlighted the need for equal recognition within the National Assembly. Agbese described the current “culture of discrimination” against the House of Representatives as inappropriate.
The rejection of the proposed honour signifies ongoing tensions between the two chambers of the National Assembly and raises questions about how honours are allocated within the government.
