President Bola Tinubu has officially elevated the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second highest national honour.
This change follows initial recognition in which the Speaker was conferred with the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) during the President’s nationwide address on Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary on October 1. At the time, the Deputy Senate President was also granted the same CFR honour.
The decision to amend Abbas’s honour emerged after a debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
During the session, members of the House urged President Tinubu to reconsider his original pronouncement, advocating for a higher distinction for the Speaker in line with his national standing.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, in a statement released Friday, confirmed that President Tinubu had taken note of the House’s stance.
According to Onanuga, “President Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives’ position and has decided to remedy the historical error and oversight.”
The statement further clarified the President’s decision: “Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.”
The Speaker, along with the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, will be formally decorated with their new honours at a later date, concluding the President’s response to the matter.
