President Bola Tinubu has awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second-highest national honour, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
This was disclosed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a statement released on Friday night titled, ‘President Tinubu Confers GCON on House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas’.
The announcement follows debates and tensions between the Senate and the House of Representatives concerning the Speaker’s eligibility for a higher national honour. In his Independence Day address on October 1, President Tinubu had conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on both the Speaker and the Deputy Senate President. This led to calls within the House of Representatives for the Speaker to receive a higher recognition.
In response, Mr. Onanuga stated, “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to correct 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 formal decoration of the Speaker, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria with their new honours will take place at a later date, according to the Presidency.
