Reps deny CFR rejection, say they merely want Speaker upgraded to GCON

The House of Representatives has denied that it rejected the Commander of the Federal Republic national honour for the Speaker Tajudeen Abass.

President Bola Tinubu announced the award in his nationwide broadcast on the anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence Day on October 1.

On Wednesday, the Reps were said to have faulted the CFR award, especially since the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is fifth on order of ranking was given award above the Speaker who is fourth.

In a statement by Chief Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesman, House of Representatives, the House corrected that its observation was not tantamount to rejection, adding that a lawmaker that tried to go that way was quickly corrected and the motion withdrawn.

He said the House merely appealled to Tinubu to consider Abass for the “Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to reflect his office’s status and position in the National Order of Precedence.”

The statement titled, ‘Clarification on House Position Regarding the National Honour Conferred on Mr. Speaker and the Status of the House of Representatives, reads in full, “The House of Representatives wishes to clarify recent reports suggesting that it rejected the National Honour conferred on the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, during the 64th Independence Anniversary celebrations.

“Intent of the Motion:  The motion, sponsored by Rep. Philip Agbese and co-signed by over 200 members, raised concerns about the longstanding misrepresentation of the House as the “lower chamber” and called for recognition of its equal legal status with the Senate in Nigeria’s bicameral legislature.

“Members emphasised that both chambers must concur on all Acts of Parliament, affirming that neither chamber is superior or inferior to the other.

“National Order of Precedence:  This motion is particularly relevant following Mr. President’s Independence Day speech, which listed the Speaker after the Deputy President of the Senate, and both Presiding Officers conferred with the same honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

“Consequently, the motion argued that the Speaker, as the nation’s number four citizen, follows the Vice President and President of the Senate in precedence, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) ranked fifth. As such, members urged for the Speaker to be considered for the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to reflect his office’s status and position in the National Order of Precedence.

“Clarification on Motion Amendment: The misunderstanding regarding the purported rejection of the honour arose from an amendment proposed by Rep. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, which was ultimately deemed inappropriate and withdrawn. We must use this opportunity to educate some segments of the media that contributions from Honourable Members during a debate do not constitute House Resolutions. The media must diligently report what the House, in its collective wisdom, adopts as a resolution on any particular issue.

“No Rejection of Honour:  It is important to reaffirm that the House did not reject the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) honour conferred on Speaker Abbas by His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The House celebrates this prestigious award conferred by Mr. President in exercise of his powers under the National Honours Act.

“It serves as a tribute to the Speaker’s distinguished service to the nation and underscores the vital role of the House of Representatives in Nigeria’s development.

“We wish to clarify therefore, that this is not a matter for personal advancement of the Speaker, but a multi partisan request for recognition of the institution of the House of Representatives by all stakeholders within the framework of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. The media is urged to accurately report that, in view of the foregoing, the House resolved to respectfully urge the President to consider upgrading the honour to align with the National Order of Precedence.

“The House subsequently referred the motion to an Ad Hoc Committee, which will include representatives from the Zonal and Regional Caucuses and will be chaired by the House Leader for further legislative action.”