President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second-highest national honour, on House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
This upgrade, announced in a statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, comes after the House of Representatives debated the initial honour conferred on Abbas, calling for a higher recognition.
Initially, President Tinubu had awarded Abbas the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in his 64th Independence Anniversary speech on October 1.
However, the House of Representatives felt the honour was not befitting of the Speaker’s position, leading to Wednesday’s debate.
Moved by the House’s position, President Tinubu decided to rectify the “historical error and oversight” by upgrading Abbas to GCON, in line with the National Order of Precedence.
The formal decoration ceremony for Abbas, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will take place at a later date.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the nation’s second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
“In his 64th Independence Anniversary Speech on 1 October, President Tinubu conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic( CFR) on the speaker and the deputy senate president.
“This development led to a debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, calling on the President to confer a higher honour on the Speaker.
“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 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,” the statement said.
