National Honour: Tinubu Is A Listening Leader, Says Speaker Abbas

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for correcting the mistakes of the past by according the House its constitutional status in conferring him with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

Tinubu had during his Independence Day anniversary address to Nigerians on October 1, announced the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) on the Speaker and GCON on the president of the senate and chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

But the House on Wednesday, through a motion by Hon. Philip Agbese (APC, Benue) and 249 others, called on the president to correct past mistakes by according the House the same status as the senate in the conferment of national honours.

The House had decried the discrimination it had suffered over the years not just regarding the national honours but also in some quarters, where a segment of Nigerians referred to it as the “lower chamber” even when the constitution places both chambers of the National Assembly on the same pedestal.
Sequel to the resolution of the House, President Tinubu on Friday night through his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the withdrawal of CFR and conferment of GCON on the speaker.

Abbas in a statement issued through his special adviser on media and publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, said President Tinubu had demonstrated good leadership in his action.

He said, “I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for correcting the mistakes by past administrations of not according the House its constitutional recognition. The President has once again demonstrated his democratic credentials of being a true democrat, an objective and a listening leader.

“With this development, Nigeria and indeed the world, now know that the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the same status as its sister chamber, the Senate, and is treated as such.

“I thank the president for heeding the voices of reasoning from the House and other well-meaning Nigerians.” Speaker Abbas equally congratulated the 10th House of Representatives “for this historic achievement.”

He thanked his colleagues for rising against the age-long discrimination of the House, which he said was corrected through their efforts.