Members of Nigeria’s lower legislative chamber commonly referred to as House of Representatives have rejected the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) award conferred on their Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, insisting that the award is lower in rank than the GCON conferred on the Senate President
The House of Representatives has rejected the award of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) conferred on its Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at the occasion of this year’s Independence Day celebration. Members of the House while rejecting the honour argued that the CFR award is inferior to the award of Grand Commander Of the Order of the Niger (GCON) whish Tinubu conferred on Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President. Honourable members also called on President Tinubu to confer on the office of the Speaker, the National honour of GCON insisting that the office of the Speaker is higher than that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria who is to be conferred with GCON.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved by the deputy spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese with 248 others during plenary in Abuja.
Moving the motion, Agbese, explained that the National Assembly is constitutionally established as a bicameral legislature comprising two equal chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives, as stipulated in Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), with both chambers operating within a framework that ensures the legislative independence and equality of each.
He expressed concerns that 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, he said, misrepresents the legal status of both chambers and diminishes the House’s standing.
“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
“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;
“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.
Also speaking on the motion, Sada Soli insisted that the Speaker is the fourth citizen so should be honored with GCON instead of CFR.
He also questioned why the CJN will be honored with GCON while the Speaker is given CFR, stating that it is a mismatch.
“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 holds the honour of GCON.
On his part, Babajimi Benson (APC-Lagos) said that the move was 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.
He said “this motion cannot be overturned at any time. And I thank the 360 members who also support this motion. For putting democracy right. Injustice to one is injustice to all. This injustice has been going on for too long. It is not something that has happened only in this administration. But it is an institutional error.
“Mr. Speaker, I want to remind members that when this administration is being created, Mr. Speaker comes at number four. Before the CJN of Nigeria. But how come the CJN of Nigeria gets the GCON honour and the Speaker gets the CFR honour? Again, when I go to comparative analysis, the System of Government of the United States of America Mr. Speaker, in the national session in America, if something happens to the President and the Vice President together, members guess who is in line to be the President of America. It is not the Senate President. Neither is it the leader of the Senate. When you have a President of America, it is the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“So I urge members to please participate socially, and at least that way they are allowed to now be investigated by the executive. And I am sure they will come to the conclusion that something has gone wrong somewhere. So I thank you all members, and I pray that this motion is passed on to the Speaker of the House.
According to ….” I would like to speak to our colleagues to realise that the House of Representatives is the backbone of democracy. Three hundred and sixty members sit in these chambers, and there is one man that has been able to keep this House in check, and that position is no other than the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“In our constituencies, we are the mother of the people of Nigeria. I do not remember the last time that our people went to the constituency, and I know that they come to see the House of Representatives. To Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I seek for all members here to lend our voice, both in this chamber, to support this motion, that the House of Representatives should be treated as equal, if not superior because of the numbers we possess to the Senate.
“Apart from the fact that this Parliament has contributed immensely towards the survival of our democracy, today, my heart bleeds. Here in Nigeria, we are operating a bicameral legislature. Bicameral legislature means that the election body, election body are equal.
“We are talking about the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It’s not about you as an individual, it’s about Parliament, it’s about the great chamber. Hearing the news of the Senate President giving GCON, we also expect that the same way the House of Representatives, the reason being that we are operating a bicameral legislature. When it comes to budget, the role of the House of Representatives, I think everybody knows that this will have to play a more crucial role than the Senate.
“We are not making a policy because this is a bicameral legislature. It’s not about you, it’s about all of us, the 360.We are not speaking, we are not speaking as individuals, we are speaking in unison. The position of the 360 is about protecting Parliament that is equal with our great chamber in terms of the last law that was given by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Looking at the promotion of the system of justice from him, it gives some of us heartbreak to hear this sad news that this House, the Speaker of Parliament, the Speaker of the people, the Speaker of Nigeria, is on with CFR while the Chief Judge of Nigeria was on with GCON.
“It is the will of this House that we appeal to the Executive to see reason with this House and have been very supportive to all their bids. In spite of the illiterate embarrassment children receive from Nigeria, we have been very supportive to the Executive and we expect that honour to be given to this Parliament”.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has succumbed to House of Reps’ members agitation against the conferment of CFR on their speaker, Abbas. Hence he has conferred the nation’s second highest national honour, the GCON, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas.
A statement issued on Friday, October 4, 2024 by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives position and has decided to remedy the historical error and oversight.
“Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.”
The statement further said that the speaker, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be formally decorated with their new honours later.
