The formal decoration ceremony for Speaker Abbas, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be conducted at a later date.
Abuja, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has elevated the national honour awarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) to Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the country’s second-highest honour.
The upgrade was announced in a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Thursday.
The decision follows a debate in the House of Representatives regarding the initial recognition conferred on Speaker Abbas during President Tinubu’s 64th Independence Anniversary speech on October 1.
Members of the House of Representatives argued that the CFR title was not befitting of the Speaker’s position, given his rank and contributions. In response, President Tinubu acknowledged what he described as a “historical error and oversight” and agreed to confer a more appropriate honour on Abbas.
“In his 64th Independence Anniversary Speech on October 1, President Tinubu had conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the Deputy Senate President. This development led to a debate in the House, calling on the President to confer a higher honour on the Speaker,” the statement read.
“President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to rectify the historical error and oversight. Thus, he has upgraded the Speaker to GCON, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.”
The formal decoration ceremony for Speaker Abbas, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be conducted at a later date.
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