The House of Representatives has expressed its appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for conferring the prestigious Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) honour on Speaker Abbas Tajudeen. This move followed an earlier request from the House, which sought a review of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) title initially awarded to Abbas on October 1 during Tinubu’s Independence Day address.

Days after the House raised concerns, arguing that Abbas deserved a higher honour to reflect the Speaker’s constitutional status, Tinubu reconsidered and bestowed the GCON title on the Speaker. This gesture, according to the House, rectifies a “significant historical oversight” and reaffirms the equality between the two legislative chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. In a statement on Saturday, Akin Rotimi, the House spokesman, quoted Speaker Abbas as commending President Tinubu for “correcting the mistakes” made by previous administrations.

“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for correcting the mistakes of past administrations by not according the House its rightful constitutional recognition. The President has demonstrated once again that he is a true democrat, an objective, and a listening leader,” Abbas stated. The Speaker went on to highlight the importance of the GCON conferment in reinforcing the House’s standing, saying, “With this development, both Nigeria and the international community now recognize that the House of Representatives holds the same status as the Senate. I thank the President for listening to the voices of reason from the House and other well-meaning Nigerians.”

Earlier, the House had passed a resolution, led by Hon. Philip Agbese and supported by over 249 members, urging the President to align the Speaker’s recognition with that of the Senate President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, ensuring constitutional equality between the chambers.

Speaker Abbas also extended his congratulations to the members of the 10th House of Representatives, commending them for their unity and persistence in achieving this significant rectification. He praised their dedication to defending the constitutional standing of the House and reaffirmed that the appeal for the GCON title was made to uphold institutional integrity, not personal interests.