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.
Gatekeepers News reports that the house said it is unacceptable for President Bola 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.
“There is an ongoing and inappropriate culture of discrimination against the house of representatives, often portrayed as inferior to the senate, through language that consistently refers to the senate as the ‘upper chamber’ and the house of representatives as a ‘lower chamber’. This terminology misrepresents the legal status of both chambers and diminishes the house’s standing,” the legislator said.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“While the constitution assigns specific responsibilities to the senate, such as confirming certain presidential appointments, it implies greater authority for the house of representatives over appropriations and the power of the purse.
“These distinct roles are designed to maintain a system of checks and balances within the legislative arm rather than establishing the superiority of one chamber over the other.”
Contributing to the motion, Sada Soli from Katsina, said some Nigerians who never occupied elective office or occupied the seat of the speaker — Aliko Dangote, founder of the Dangote group; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) — were honoured with the GCON.
Babajimi Benson from Lagos said the motion calling for the speaker to be honoured with GCON is “putting democracy right”.
“Injustice to one is injustice to all. This injustice has gone on for too long,” Benson said.
Oboku Oforji from Bayelsa said it “gives us heartbreak that the speaker is honoured with CFR while CJN is honoured with GCON”.
The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Abbas, the presiding officer.
Consequently, the house set up an ad hoc committee to be chaired by Julius Ihonvbere, leader of the house, to interface with the ministry of special duties and ensure their demand is considered.
The committee is expected to report back to the house within three days.
