Tinubu Bows to Reps’ Pressure, Confers Higher Honour On Speaker Abbas

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has bowed to pressure to upgrade the national honour of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas
• Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Abba after the members of the lower house rejected the Commander of the Order of Niger (CFR)
• The Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) is the second-highest national honour in Nigeria

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

The GCON is the second-highest national honour in Nigeria.

This is an upgrade from the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), Tinubu earlier conferred on the speaker and the deputy senate president.

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Legit.ng recalls that members of the house of representatives said it was unacceptable for the Speaker to receive a lower honour compared to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The House passed a resolution calling for a review of the national awards criteria to ensure fairness.

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement issued via his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @aonanuga1956 on Friday, October 4.

The statement partially read:

“Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.

“The speaker, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be formally decorated with their new honours later.”

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education backed the Federal Government's decision to set 18 as the minimum age for taking the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE).

From 2025 onward, candidates under 18 will not be allowed to sit for the SSSCE, as announced by the Minister of Education, sparking significant debate among parents and education stakeholders.

Chairman Mark Useni, during a September 4 interview, noted that the policy was developed before the 6-3-3-4 system.

Source: Legit.ng