President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has succumbed to the pressure by the House of Representatives on the award of the monumental error in the national award to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
The President speedily reversed himself on Friday, annulling the award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) that he announced during his independence Day broadcast to the Speaker, changing it to the nation’s second highest national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, on the Speaker.
In his 64th Independence Anniversary Speech on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, President Tinubu had conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the speaker and the deputy senate president.
This development led to a hot debate in the House of Representatives during plenary on Wednesday. They roundly rejected the CFR award to Abbas, saying it was an insult on his office as Speaker, as well as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which sees the President of the Senate and the House Speaker. They unanimously requested the President to confer a higher honour on the Speaker.
On Friday, President Tinubu corrected the error and awarded the second highest national hour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, on Abbas.
He also awarded the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun GCON.
The upgrade, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, was in sync with the National Order of Precedence.
”President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives position and has decided to remedy the historical error and oversight,” Onanuga continued.
“Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.”
Onanuga further informed that the Speaker, Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be formally decorated with their new honours later.
