5th October 2024, NewsOrient, News, Governance And Development

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has impliedly accepted the position of members of the House of Representatives on equality of the two Chambers of the National Assembly as he conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) national honour on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

NewsOrient has reported earlier that President Tinubu had, in his last independence anniversary speech, announced that he will confer the honour of Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while the Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria would be conferred with the country’s second highest national honour, the Grand Commander, Order of the Niger (GCON).

In their reaction to the development, honourable members of the House of Representatives vehemently rejected the honour and said the two Chambers of the National Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives, are equal Chambers of the bicameral legislature recognized by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, adding that their leaders must be equally honoured.

The federal lawmakers also said the impression created by many people in Nigeria that the Senate is the upper Chamber while the House of Representatives is the lower Chamber is false.

They therefore demanded that Mr President confers the same national honours to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Agreeing with the position of the lawmakers, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has changed his resolve and has conferred on the Speaker the same GCON Honour he conferred on the Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Confirming President Tinubu’s decision to grant the demands of the honourable members of the House, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Ononuga, said on Friday: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the nation’s second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.”

He added that 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.”

~ NewsOrient

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