The House of Representatives has rejected the National Honour conferred on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, citing discrimination by President Bola Tinubu against the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
This decision comes after President Tinubu awarded a higher honor to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, sparking concerns of unequal treatment.
President Tinubu had announced during Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary celebration that Senate President Akpabio and Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun would receive the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.
Meanwhile, Abbas and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau were conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.
In response, Philip Agbese moved a motion of urgent public importance on Wednesday, emphasizing that the Representatives are not inferior to Senators and should be treated equally. “We are not inferior to the Senators, and therefore, our leaders should be treated equally,” Agbese stated.
The motion, backed by 360 House members, advocates for abolishing the “upper chamber and lower chamber nomenclature,” stressing the equality of both chambers. “We should abolish the nomenclature of upper and lower chambers. Both chambers are equal,” the motion read.
“We cannot continue to operate as if one chamber is superior to the other,” a House member said.
“The National Honours should reflect the equality of both chambers.”