The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, has applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for correcting the mistakes of the past by according the House its constitutional status in coffering the Speaker with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
President Tinubu had during his Independence Day Anniversary address to Nigerians on Tuesday, October 1, announced the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) on the Speaker and GCON on the President of the Senate and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
On Wednesday, the House, through a motion by Hon. Philip Agbese and 249 others, called on the President to correct past mistakes by according the House the same status as the Senate in the conferment of the National Honours.
The House had decried the discrimination it had suffered over the years not just regarding the National Honours but also in some quarters, where a segment of Nigerians referred to it as the “lower chamber” even when the constitution places both chambers of the National Assembly on the same pedestal.
Following the resolution of the House, President Tinubu on Friday night through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, announced the withdrawal of the CFR honour and conferment of the GCON on the Speaker.
Mr. Onanuga said, “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives position and has decided to remedy the historical error and oversight. Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.”
Speaker Abbas, in a press statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, said President Tinubu has demonstrated good leadership in his action.
“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for correcting the mistakes by past administration of not according the House its constitutional recognition. The President has once again demonstrated his democratic credentials of being a true democrat, an objective and a listening leader.
“With this development, Nigeria and indeed the world, now know that the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the same status as its sister chamber, the Senate, and is treated as such.
“I thank the President for heeding the voices of reasoning from the House and other well-meaning Nigerians,” the Speaker said.
Speaker Abbas equally congratulated the 10th House of Representatives “for this historic achievement.”
He thanked his colleagues for rising against the age-long discrimination of the House, which he said has been corrected through their efforts.