ABUJA, Nigeria – The House of Representatives has voiced its opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s plan to confer the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, deeming the proposal discriminatory and unfair.
The issue was raised during a plenary session on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, with lawmakers arguing that the honour is inferior to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), which will be awarded to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Members of the House of Representatives highlighted that the National Assembly is constitutionally structured as a bicameral legislature, with the Senate and the House of Representatives standing as two equal chambers.
They contended that it is unjust to bestow a higher honour upon the Senate President while offering the Speaker a lesser distinction.
“The National Assembly is a bicameral legislature with two equal chambers, and it’s unfair to confer a higher honour on the Senate President,” some lawmakers argued during the session.
They further pointed out that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who ranks lower in protocol than the Speaker, is set to receive the GCON, amplifying concerns of inequity.
The debate gained further momentum when some lawmakers cited examples of prominent Nigerians, such as business magnate Aliko Dangote and World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, both of whom have received the GCON without having held elective office.
This, they argued, strengthens the case for Speaker Abbas to be conferred the same level of honour.
The House has since established an ad hoc committee to engage with the Ministry of Special Duties and ensure that their concerns are addressed.
This committee will push for parity in the honours system, ensuring that both the Speaker of the House and the Senate President are treated equally in recognition of their positions.
The motion that sparked the debate was sponsored by Philip Agbese, a representative from Benue, who emphasised the constitutional equality between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Agbese described the “culture of discrimination” against the House as “inappropriate” and urged the government to rectify the perceived imbalance.
The resolution reflects a growing discontent within the House regarding the perceived marginalization of the lower chamber in matters of protocol and national recognition.
As the debate unfolds, it remains to be seen how the presidency will respond to the demands of the House of Representatives.
