In response to protests from members of the House of Representatives regarding the national honour awarded to their Speaker, President Bola Tinubu has acted to upgrade Speaker Tajudeen Abbas’ recognition. The House members expressed dissatisfaction after Abbas was conferred with the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) during Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebrations, arguing that the Speaker deserved a higher honour, specifically the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the nation’s second-highest award.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, confirmed that President Tinubu recognized the House members’ concerns. Onanuga described the earlier decision as a historical oversight and confirmed that the president has moved to amend it.