The House of Representatives on Wednesday, October 2, expressed dissatisfaction with the ranking of national honours, arguing that placing the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) above the Speaker of the House is a disservice to the institution. The House raised concerns after the recent national honours announcement, where President Bola Tinubu conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, while Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen received the lesser honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was also awarded the GCON title.

In a motion of urgent importance presented by Phillip Agbese (APC, Benue), the House stressed that the Speaker’s office ranks equally with that of the Senate President and should therefore not be awarded a lesser title. Agbese argued that this disparity undermines the principle of bicameral equality as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution.

“This has gone on for far too long,” said Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), emphasizing that the motion aims to address what he termed a long-standing injustice. He further pointed out that in protocol, the Speaker precedes the Chief Justice, making it illogical for the latter to receive a higher honour.

The House also resolved to engage with the Minister for Special Duties, who oversees the conferment of national honours, to rectify what they described as an “anomaly.” According to Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), the issue of unfair ranking had been raised during the 9th Assembly, but despite discussions, the situation had remained unchanged.

Former Deputy Speaker Idris Ahmed Wase noted that the House had considered rejecting the CFR title in the 9th Assembly in protest but ultimately opted for a diplomatic approach. He voiced surprise at the repetition of the error and urged the House to push for a permanent solution.

In addition to challenging the national honours disparity, the House also criticized the continued reference to the Senate as the “upper chamber” and the House of Representatives as the “lower chamber,” which they say misrepresents the legislative process. The House affirmed its status as an independent and equal legislative body, calling on government officials and the media to reflect this in their language and titles.

The House plans to liaise with the Presidency to propose amendments to the National Honours Act of 1964 to ensure that future awards recognize the Speaker of the House of Representatives as co-head of the National Assembly, deserving of the GCON title.

The Speaker, along with other members, voiced their determination to rectify the historical oversight, ensuring that the legislative arm of government is accorded due respect and recognition in line with constitutional provisions.