Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected the conferment of Commander of the Federal Republic on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas
President Bola Tinubu during a nationwide broadcast to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence anniversary had conferred the CFR honour on the speaker.
However, lawmakers from various political parties, demanded that the president confer the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on the Speaker instead.
They condemned the CFR honour which they bemoaned, describing it as demeaning.
The president also conferred GCON on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun during the Independence Day broadcast.
The Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, who moved the motion described it as unacceptable what he called the treatment from the president wondering if the House was inferior to the Senate.
According to him, the Speaker is ranked 4th in order of protocol and questioned why the CJN, who is ranked 5th, was accorded a higher honour.
The lawmakers, who spoke in stiff defence clarified that they were not defending Abbas but the House as an institution and the Office of the Speaker.
Agbese moved that, “Worried by the growing trend where the President of the Senate is referred to as the ‘Chairman of the National Assembly’, which inaccurately implies a hierarchical structure between the two chambers, contrary to the Constitution, and undermines the authority of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Neither the institution nor the Standing Orders of both chambers recognise the position of a Chairman of the National Assembly, his title has no legal basis and undermines.”
He stressed that “This discriminatory practice was once again evidenced during the recent conferment of National Honours on the leadership of the National Assembly by Mr President. While expressing our gratitude to Mr President for recognising and honouring the leadership of the National Assembly, we note that the conferment of the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the President of the Senate and the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate perpetuates the inappropriate subordination of the Speaker to the President of the Senate.
“Notes that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is lower in protocol ranking than the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was also awarded the title of GCON, further exemplifying this culture of discrimination against the leadership of the House.”
Agbese cited that, “The Constitution, in promoting a balanced and equal bicameral legislature, clearly provides that bills passed by one chamber must be concurred with by the other in the same form for them to become law, thus affirming the equal status of both chambers as essential components of the legislative process.
Speaking in support of the motion, Sada Soli insisted that the Speaker is a fourth citizen and should be honoured with GCON instead of CFR.
Questioning why the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be honoured with GCON the Speaker, CFR, Soli said, “We know the President is a listening President. We know the President is not shy.
“He does not shy away from going back to correcting the problem. Mr Speaker, the House of Representatives should hold the honour of GCON.”
Babajimi Benson (APC -Lagos) described it as an injustice to the institution of the House of Representatives, adding that though it has been going on for too long, it remains an institutional error.
