President Bola Tinubu has officially conferred the nation’s second-highest national honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. This decision comes after mounting pressure and a heated debate within the National Assembly regarding Abbas’ eligibility for a higher national honor.
The news was revealed in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday night. The statement, titled ‘President Tinubu Confers GCON on House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas’, highlighted that Tinubu acted after considering the concerns raised by the House of Representatives.
The controversy began after President Tinubu’s 64th Independence Anniversary speech on October 1, 2024. In that address, Tinubu conferred the title of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker Abbas and the Deputy Senate President. However, members of the House of Representatives soon debated the decision, arguing that the Speaker deserved a higher honor in line with the National Order of Precedence.
Addressing the matter, Onanuga stated, “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to remedy the historical error and oversight.”
Also Read:
- Obasanjo Blames Nigeria’s Underdevelopment on Selfish Leadership
- Nigerian Primary School Pupil Awarded N21 Million Scholarship for Scoring 100% in National Mathematics Competition
He further explained that Tinubu upgraded Speaker Abbas’ honor to GCON from CFR to correct the previous decision.
“This upgrade is in accordance with the National Order of Precedence,” Onanuga added.
The speaker, along with the Senate President and other key officials of the National Assembly, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, will be formally decorated with their new honors in a ceremony to be held soon.