…Say green chamber not inferior
By Caleb Ishaya, Abuja
House of Representatives, has rejected Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, award conferred on the Speaker, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tinubu, on the occasion of Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary celebration honoured notable Nigerians with the conferment of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON on President of the Senate and the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate.
The House expressed its dismay in a motion entitled, “multi-partisan motion on the inappropriate discrimination against the House of Representatives and the presentation of the chamber as inferior to the Senate”, moved at the plenary yesterday by Hon. Philip Agbese and co-sponsored by 235 and backed by 359 lawmakers.
Agbese, said that there was an ongoing discrimination against the House of Representatives, in a manner portraying the Senate as superior and the House as inferior through the use of “upper chamber” and “lower chamber”, referring to Senate and House respectively.
He also said that the National Assembly was constitutionally established as a bicameral legislature comprising two equal chambers – the Senate and the House, as stipulated in Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), with both chambers operating within a framework that ensures the legislative independence and equality of each.
The lawmaker maintained that Speaker Abbas is a co-leader of the legislative arm of government, and this must be recognised and respected in all ramifications.
Section 47 of the 1999 Constitution provides for the establishment of the National Assembly, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, each of which plays distinct but complementary roles in the legislative process.
“While expressing our gratitude to Mr. President for recognising and honouring the leadership of the National Assembly, we note that the conferment of the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, on the President of the Senate and the conferment of the Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate perpetuates the inappropriate subordination of the Speaker to the President of the Senate”.
The House resolved: “Call attention to the ongoing discriminatory practice of referring to the Senate as the “upper chamber” and the House of Representatives as the “lower chamber,” as well as portraying the Speaker as subordinate to the President of the Senate.
“Such references undermine the equal status of both chambers as established by the Constitution and diminish the standing of the House of Representatives in the legislative process.
“Affirm that the House of Representatives is an independent and equal chamber of the National Assembly, and the Speaker is a co-head of the legislative arm of government alongside the President of the Senate. (Power of the purse)
“Recognise the Speaker of the House of Representatives as co-chairman of the National Assembly in all respects, and request that all references to the leadership of the National Assembly reflect this equality.
“Call on all government institutions, officials, and the media to take cognisance of language and titles that suggest a hierarchical structure between the Senate and the House of Representatives or their respective leaders”.
“Mandates the relevant House Committees to liaise with the Presidency and propose amendments to the National Honours Act of 1964 to appropriately recognise the Speaker of the House of Representatives as co-head of the National Assembly and, accordingly, confer the national honour of GCON upon the Speaker, ensuring parity in recognition with the President of the Senate. This should be accomplished before the formal decoration by Mr. President”.
