The Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has applauded President Bola Tinubu for upgrading the national honour of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas from the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). This comes after a request by the House to ensure equal recognition for the Speaker, who holds a high-ranking position in Nigeria’s government.

During his Independence Day broadcast marking Nigeria’s 64th anniversary, President Tinubu conferred national honours on several key figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Speaker Abbas, and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. However, a discrepancy in the level of recognition prompted Agbese to raise concerns during a House plenary session.

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Agbese pointed out that while Abbas, who is 4th in the national protocol ranking, was awarded a CFR, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who ranks 5th, was conferred the higher GCON. The House of Representatives, he argued, should not be treated as inferior to the Senate.

Following this, lawmakers from various political parties echoed Agbese’s sentiments and called on President Tinubu to rectify the oversight. Their collective appeal led to an official statement from the presidency, confirming that Speaker Abbas had been granted the GCON honour.

Speaking to PUNCH Online, Agbese expressed his gratitude to the President for listening to their plea and urged him to also upgrade the honour for Deputy Speaker Kalu, who currently holds the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) title.

Agbese emphasized that parity should be maintained between the legislative offices, noting, “The Deputy Senate President was awarded a CFR, so it is only fitting that his counterpart in the House, Deputy Speaker Kalu, receives the same status. This is not just about individuals, but about respecting the institutions they represent.”