Reps reject CFR national honour for speaker, demand GCON

The House of Representatives has turned down the planned conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

President Bola Tinubu in his Independence Day broadcast to the nation on Tuesday had conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), while reserving CFR for Abbas and the deputy president of the senate, Barau Jibrin.

During plenary on Wednesday, the house of reps said it is unacceptable for Tinubu to confer CFR on Abbas, arguing that he deserves to be honoured with GCON.

The house passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Philip Agbese, lawmaker from Benue State.