By Ezra Odogu
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Bolaji Ayorinde has countered members of House of Representatives seeking conferment of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) national honour on Speaker Tajudeen Abass instead of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) awarded him.
He said years of service to the nation, not just being Speaker, will earn Abass the GCON National Honour.
House of Representatives members have been agitating for conferment of GCON honour on Abass like it was awarded the Chief Justice Justice Kudirat Kekere-ekun.
Speaking with newsmen in Ibadan on the issue, Ayorinde, who is also the chairman, Governors Advisory Councils (GAC), said Abass will be entitled to the honour when he reaches the level of service to the nation.
According to him: “You don’t agitate for honour but it is given to you. Some Nigerians have problem with a sense of entitlements.
“I don’t know a law that says once you became a Speaker of House of Representatives, you must be given GCON. You can even be a ‘Speaker’ without being given any National Honor. It can even be after you have left the office you are given recognition.
“I’m not sure if the CJN was conferred that honor because she is the CJN, her years of service to the nation must have been considered before she was conferred that honor.
“She started as a Magistrate, became High Court Judge, before moving to the Court of Appeals and has also been at Supreme court for many years.
“If House of Representatives members want GCON for its ‘Speaker’, they should continue in their service to the nation and that time will come but this sense of over entitlements is not the best.”
Ayorinde frowned at conflicting judgements, which according to him is an aberration, saying such can lead to anarchy and chaos if care is not taken.
He also urged government to address challenges facing Nigerians, saying there is still hope for the nation.
