Tinubu bows to pressure, awards GCON to Speaker after CFR rejection ‬

‪Abdullateef Fowewe‬

‪President Bola Tinubu has bowed to pressure 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.‬

‪During plenary on Wednesday, October 2, the house of representatives rejected the planned conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the speaker of the green chamber, stating that it is unacceptable for the president to confer the GCON on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria, and reserved CFR for Abbas.

‪The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a statement late Friday noted that Tinubu was convinced by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to fix what he described as “historical error and oversight”.‬

The statement reads, “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.”

Onanuga confirmed that Akpabio, Abbas and Kekere-Eku will be decorated officially later.

“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,” he said.