By Mercy Aikoye
House of Representatives has rejected the planned conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) honor on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, instead demanding the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). This decision was made during a plenary session in Abuja, where a motion was moved by Deputy Spokesperson Philip Agbese and supported by 248 other members.
The motion highlighted the constitutional establishment of the National Assembly as a bicameral legislature, comprising two equal chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
However, concerns were raised about the ongoing culture of discrimination against the House of Representatives, often portrayed as inferior to the Senate.
This perceived inequality is perpetuated through language, with the Senate referred to as the “upper chamber” and the House of Representatives as the “lower chamber”
“ The motion emphasized that this terminology misrepresents the legal status of both chambers and diminishes the House’s standing.
Another point of contention is the reference to the President of the Senate as the “Chairman of the National Assembly,” which implies a hierarchical structure between the two chambers. This title has no legal basis and undermines the authority of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The recent conferment of national honors on the leadership of the National Assembly further exemplified this discriminatory practice ¹. The President of the Senate received the GCON, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate received the CFR.
Members of the House argued that the Speaker should receive the GCON, citing their position as the fourth citizen in the country’s protocol ranking ¹. They also questioned why the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who ranks lower than the Speaker, received the GCON.
Babajimi Benson, a member of the House, described the move as an injustice to the institution of the House of Representatives. He emphasized that this inequality has been ongoing for too long and is an institutional error.
Comparisons were drawn with the United States, where the Speaker of the House of Representatives is next in line to the presidency if the President and Vice President are unable to serve.
This highlights the significance of the Speaker’s role and the need for equal recognition.
The House urged President Bola Tinubu to uphold the spirit of bicameral equality as enshrined in the Constitution. “They also directed the Clerk of the National Assembly to ensure that all communications refer to both the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate as co-heads of the National Assembly.
Ultimately, the House seeks equal status with the Senate, recognizing their crucial role in Nigeria’s democracy.
