Lawmakers rejects CFR, seek GCON honour for Speaker Tajudeen Abbas

On Wednesday, members of the House of Representatives from various political parties called for the national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to be bestowed upon Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

The House expressed dissatisfaction with the recent honours conferred by President Bola Tinubu during his Independence Day speech, where the Speaker was awarded the title of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), while Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, received the higher GCON title.

During the plenary session, Deputy Spokesman Philip Agbese moved a motion of urgent public importance, criticizing the apparent unequal treatment between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

He argued that the Speaker, ranked 4th in national protocol, should have been given the GCON, just like Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Lawmakers emphasized that their demands were not in defense of Abbas personally, but in defense of the dignity and rank of the Speaker’s office.