President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second-highest national honour, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement issued on Friday night, titled, “President Tinubu Confers GCON on House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.”
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The decision follows controversies between the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding the Speaker’s eligibility for a higher honour. Earlier, during his 64th Independence Anniversary speech on October 1, Tinubu had awarded Abbas the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), along with the Deputy Senate President.
However, the House of Representatives debated the matter on Wednesday, urging the President to bestow a higher honour on Abbas. Responding to this, Onanuga stated, “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to correct the historical error and oversight.”
The Presidency confirmed that the Speaker, along with the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, will be formally decorated with their new honours in due course.
