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On Wednesday, the House of Representatives rejected the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) honour announced for Speaker Tajudeen Abbas by President Bola Tinubu during his Independence Anniversary speech. The House insisted that the Speaker should instead receive the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), in recognition of the office’s seniority over the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is set to be conferred with the GCON honour.
The motion was moved by Deputy Spokesperson Philip Agbese, alongside 248 other members, during a plenary session in Abuja. Agbese argued that the House of Representatives, as part of the bicameral National Assembly, is often misrepresented as inferior to the Senate. He pointed out that both chambers hold equal constitutional status, and the use of terms like “upper chamber” and “lower chamber” creates an inaccurate perception of the House’s role.
The lawmakers also expressed concerns over the Speaker being given a CFR title, while the Senate President was awarded GCON. Sada Soli emphasized that the Speaker, being the fourth-highest-ranking official in the country, should receive the same recognition as the Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Babajimi Benson, representing Lagos, described the decision as an institutional error that has persisted across multiple administrations, calling for the rectification of this injustice. He noted that in the U.S., the Speaker of the House holds a position of higher succession to the presidency than the Senate leader, advocating for a similar recognition in Nigeria’s system.
The House unanimously resolved to call for amendments to the National Honours Act to appropriately confer the GCON honour on the Speaker, ensuring parity with the Senate President. Additionally, the members urged government officials and the media to stop using language that implies a hierarchical structure between the two legislative chambers.
