Senator Basheer Lado, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, has clarified the rationale behind the 2024 National Honours conferred on presiding officers of the National Assembly. Addressing concerns raised, Lado emphasized that the honours were based on established protocols, not an attempt to diminish any individual.
President Tinubu, in his Independence Day address, conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) on Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, among others.
However, after the honours were announced, a motion in the House of Representatives raised questions about the appropriateness of the honour conferred on Speaker Abbas. In response, Lado reiterated that the awards followed long-standing precedents and procedures.
In his statement, Lado explained: “The conferral of the CFR on Speaker Abbas by President Tinubu was in line with the National Honours Act and was not intended to undermine the Speaker or the House. The House of Representatives has also made it clear that they appreciate the honour and did not reject it but simply sought clarification on the order of precedence.”
Lado also highlighted Tinubu’s commitment to maintaining a strong working relationship with the National Assembly, as cooperation between the executive and legislative branches is vital to Nigeria’s progress.
Why Tinubu Honoured Speaker Abbas with CFR National Honour — Aide
