The House of Representatives has expressed its disapproval of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) being awarded to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, urging that he receive equal recognition alongside Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was honored with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

The announcement of these honors during President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address led to dissatisfaction within the House. During Wednesday’s plenary session, members raised concerns about the perceived disparity, viewing it as a continuation of the unjust subordination of the Speaker to the Senate President.

A motion titled “Inappropriate Discrimination Against the House of Representatives and the Presentation of the Chamber as Inferior to the Senate,” led by Hon. Philip Agbese (APC, Benue) and supported by 235 other members, was adopted. The motion highlighted the bicameral nature of the National Assembly, asserting that both chambers are constitutionally equal.

An ad-hoc committee, chaired by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, has been established to collaborate with the Presidency on proposing amendments to the National Honours Act of 1964. The aim is to ensure that the Speaker receives the GCON title, akin to the Senate President, prior to the formal ceremony conducted by President Tinubu.

While presenting the motion, Agbese noted that referring to the Senate as the “upper chamber” and the House as the “lower chamber” has fostered a culture of discrimination that undermines the equality of both legislative bodies. He emphasized that the Speaker, as Nigeria’s fourth-ranking citizen, should not be awarded a lesser honor than the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who also received the GCON.

Supporting the motion, Hon. Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) and Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) argued that the Speaker deserves the same respect and recognition as the Senate President, drawing parallels to the U.S., where the Speaker holds significant importance in the line of succession.

Following the motion’s adoption, the House urged President Tinubu to uphold the principles of bicameral equality within the National Assembly leadership, requesting that future communications and recognitions acknowledge the Speaker and Senate President as co-heads of the National Assembly.