The House of Representatives has commended President Bola Tinubu for addressing what it called a “significant historical oversight” by conferring the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
Recall that the House, following the adoption of a motion last week, noted that it was not inferior to the Senate, following the conferment of GCON on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Commander of the Federal Republic on the Speaker.
On Friday, the President heeded the call for an upgrade of the award earlier bestowed on the Speaker to GCON.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the spokesman of the House, Akin Rotimi, the legislative body said that the action of the President has restored “Parity between both chambers of the National Assembly.”
Responding to the development, Speaker Abbas praised the President’s commitment to justice and fairness.
“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for correcting the mistakes made by past administrations that did not conform to the House’s constitutional recognition.
“The President has once again demonstrated his democratic credentials as 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,” Abbas said.
The House had earlier adopted a resolution, following a motion by Philip Agbese and supported by over 249 members, urging the President to remedy the long-standing discrepancy in the conferment of national honours.
The resolution specifically sought to align the recognition of the Speaker with that of the President of the Senate and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, thereby reinforcing the constitutional principle of equality between the two legislative chambers.
According to Rotimi, “The House wishes to reaffirm that the appeal was not motivated by personal interest but as a matter of institutional integrity and constitutional propriety.
“The correction addresses the previous misperception that the House of Representatives was subordinate to the Senate, despite the constitution clearly stipulating both chambers as co-equal in legislative authority.”
