The House of Representatives has clarified that it did not reject the award of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Instead, the House is asking for the award to be upgraded to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to reflect the Speaker’s high rank in the national order of precedence.
This clarification followed confusion from a proposal made by Hon. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, which was later withdrawn. The House stressed that its official stance is to respect the award but also to seek an upgrade for the Speaker in line with his position as the nation’s fourth-highest-ranking official.
Deputy Spokesperson Hon. Philip Agbese explained that the Speaker’s status warrants the GCON, not the CFR. An ad-hoc committee, led by House Leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, has been set up to address the issue with the presidency. The House reiterated its recognition of the Speaker’s contributions and its commitment to upholding the dignity of the House of Representatives.
