Reps reject CFR national honour for speaker, demand GCON

The House of Representatives has rejected the planned conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the green chamber.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the conferment of different categories of honours on the nation’s leaders during his Independence Day speech on Tuesday.

Tinubu said Akpabio and Kekere-Ekun will be conferred with the GCON, while Abbas and Barau Jibrin, deputy president of the senate, will get CFR.

The president also said Ben Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, will receive the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

Tinubu did not disclose the date for the conferments.

However, during plenary on Wednesday, the house said it is unacceptable for Tinubu to confer the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) while reserving CFR for Abbas.

Moving a motion of urgent public importance during the plenary session, the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, described as unacceptable the treatment of the House of Representatives as if it were inferior to the Senate, in apparent reference to the conferment of the GCON on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

He noted that in the order of protocol, the Speaker is ranked 4th, questioning why the CJN, who is ranked 5th, was accorded a higher honour.

The lawmakers, who took turns to make their contributions, said they were not speaking for Abbas as an individual, but for the Office of the Speaker.

Meanwhile, the Reps Minority Caucus has hailed the People’s speaker, Dr Tajudeen Abass over the conferment of a national award and his 59th birthday.

This was disclosed in a congratulatory message signed by the Caucus leader, Rep Kingsley Chinda on Tuesday.

The Caucus in the message expressly stated that: “The leadership and members of the Minority Caucus in Nigeria’s House of Representatives joins colleagues, and associates to felicitate with Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker, House of Representatives, his family, and other well wishers on the occasion of his birthday, and conferment of national honours by President Bola Tinubu (GCFR).

“The Caucus is particularly happy that since his emergence as the 15th Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, his unapologetic commitment to nation building, and national development has been recognized by the Federal Government. Given his broad-based, all-inclusive, and servant-leadership style of governance, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) bestowed on him is a worthy and fitting endorsement of his unique, and enviable attributes.

“For us, the “double honours” celebrations of Speaker Abbas birthday anniversary, and national awards represents glowing testament to the continued legacy of service by an unusual intellectual-politician who exhibits transparency, fairness, hard work, discipline, and altruism at all times.

“The Caucus also extends felicitations to the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu over the conferment of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) on him by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu (GCFR). We enjoin him to continue to offer quality support to Speaker Abbas as they pilot the affairs of the “people’s House.”

“As we join our colleagues to savour the joy, and euphoria of this two-pronged achievements, we pray that God will grant Speaker Abbas wisdom, knowledge, understanding, good health, sound mind, and renewed strength for continuous national relevance, and contribution to national development, and general well-being of all Nigerians.”