In a significant reversal, President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In a statement issued by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, he said this decision follows intense debate within the House, where members deemed the initial conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) as “demeaning” compared to honors awarded to other leaders.
During his Independence Day speech, President Tinubu had initially announced the CFR for Abbas while granting GCON to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Lawmakers argued that this was an oversight, emphasising that “the Speaker is fourth in protocol” and should receive equal recognition.
Onanuga stated, “This upgrade remedies a historical error and acknowledges the importance of the Speaker’s role.”
The formal decoration ceremony for Abbas and other leaders is set to take place soon.
