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Reps Fault Tinubu, Reject CFR Title for Speaker

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By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

There was uproar in the House of Representatives at Wednesday’s plenary, as members unanimously protested against President Bola Tinubu’s decision to confer a lower national honour, Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

Tinubu had, during his Independence Day national broadcast, announced the conferment of CFR on the Speaker while the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kerere-Ekun were conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) title.

But the lawmakers said the Speaker ought to be at par with the Senate President on the GCON title, pointing out that Tinubu breached protocol by ranking the CJN above the Speaker.

They hinged their argument on the premise that the Speaker is Number 4 in national protocol ranking while the CJN is Number 5.

Going by extant tradition, the President is Number 1, Vice President is Number 2, Senate President is Number 3, Speaker is Number 4 while the CJN is Number 5.

In a heated debate on a motion sponsored by Rep Philip Agbese, the legislators took turns to pooh-pooh what they described as discrimination against the Speaker and the House of Representatives as a whole.

According to them, the president’s action suggested that the position of the Speaker is inferior to that of the Senate President.

Leading the debate, Agbese argued that the National Honours Act of 1964 does not explicitly prescribe the conferment of GCON on the President of the Senate or the CFR on the Speaker, but that these distinctions are rooted in customary practice rather than statutory requirement.

The House noted that the title of GCON is not restricted to any particular office or individual but can be awarded to any distinguished Nigerian deemed deserving by the president.

Citing the conferment of GCON on Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala by former President Muhammadu Buhari, this the House acknowledged the flexibility in the conferment of the titles and the prerogative of the president in conferring such on deserving individuals.

Agbese insisted that the conferment of the CFR on the Speaker and Deputy President of the Senate was inappropriate subordination of the Speaker to the President of the Senate.

In his remarks, Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi said: “I wouldn’t be talking from the standpoint of opposition.

“But I am indeed saddened that each regime that comes, they keep on repeating what their predecessors did. I think something that is very constant, they say, is change.

“I wouldn’t want to say that the president is a listening president. There are indications to show that he is not. But I am thinking that what he has already pronounced needs to be changed before it is confirmed.

“Because we can’t continue to be repeating the mistakes of the past. So he has every opportunity to respect the 360 members of this House who have also fought so hard to bear the responsibility of certain policies of this government. We are the people that have already tried to calm the entire country down with our number.

“We need to be respected in that form. As other people argued, we are not talking for the person who is sitting as the Speaker. We are talking for the institution.”

Similarly, Rep Dominic Okafor cited the provision of Section 47 of the 1999 Constitution, which states that there shall be a National Assembly for the Federation, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Okafor said the constitution did not say that the Senate is superior to the House of Representatives.

On his part, Rep Ali Issa said, “I am from Gombe State, and I am the Minority Whip of the 10th Assembly. Mr. Speaker, just like my colleagues who spoke about Section 4 of the Nigerian constitution, the section clearly stated the creation of the National Assembly, and it clearly specified that the National Assembly comprised 109-member Senate and 360-member House of Representatives.

In his own intervention, Rep Cyril Godwin argued that the National Honours Act of 1964, Section 1, Subsection 3 stated that: “Subject to Article 2 of this warrant, the numbers of persons appointed to the different ranks of the orders in any calendar year shall not exceed eight. In the case of Grand Commander, which is what is in contest here, in the case of Grand Commander, two as respect to the Order of the Federal Republic and 10 as respect to the Order of Niger.

“What it simply means is that for GCON, for every calendar year, it shall not exceed two in line with the National Honours Act. So if the Senate President has been given one.

“It therefore means we are going to ask in our resolution as well, that the CJN shall relinquish his own for the Speaker, not necessarily Tajudeen, but for any Speaker of the House of Representatives, until we amend this Act. You cannot exceed two in line with this Act.”

Majority Leader, Rep Julius Ihonbvere who doubles as Head of Government Business in the House, said: “Ordinarily, I should be speaking to defend the government. But I also have a responsibility and duty to correct the government when it is doing something that is not right. Fortunately, we have a government that listens and a president that listens.

“I want to especially appreciate my colleagues. Without party restriction or consideration or any consideration whatsoever, I have unanimously agreed that there are several amendments we need to make both in the Constitution and in the Honours Act in order to correct historical injustices and administrative miscarriage of responsibilities. It is clear that we are not just talking about the current occupants of these positions.”

Hon. Adebayo Adekojo urged the House to reject the CFR award, saying: “I think it would not be out of place for us to outrightly go ahead and amend this motion to reject the honours of CFR at this point.”

However in his intervention, Speaker Abbas who opposed his position, said: “Honorable, I don’t think it would be respectful to our president if we go to that extreme. Ours is just to appeal and show the reason why things should change.

“It is not like we are trying to confront him or to say what he did is not appreciated. So I would want to kindly ask you to withdraw that prayer, please.”

In line with the Speaker’s request, Hon. Adekojo said: “Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, sir, I go ahead and withdraw the prayer in honour of you and Mr. President.”

While ruling, Speaker Abbas referred the motion to the Ad-hoc Committee to be chaired by the House Leader, while all the six zonal caucus leaders and the two regional leaders of North and South.

And any other person that the committee may deem fit to co-opt will be members of the ad-hoc committee.

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Heirs Insurance Posts N61bn Gross Written Premium

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Heirs Insurance Group has announced its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024, showing strong year-on-year growth across business lines and metrics.The insurance group reported a combined Gross Written Premium of N61bn in 2024 for its life and general insurance companies, indicating a 70 per cent increase from the N35.

8bn recorded in the previous year.
Heirs Insurance Group is the insurance subsidiary of Heirs Holdings, the pan-African investment company, with investments across 24 countries and four continents.
The insurance group also recorded a combined insurance revenue of N31.4bn, which is about 53 per cent higher than N20.5bn in 2023. Profit Before Tax rose from N4.
8bn in 2023 to N11.2bn, more than double the previous year’s figure, and representing a 133 per cent year-on-year growth, and the group paid about N10.4bn in claims during the year under review compared to N4.18bn. Its total assets grew by 66 per cent, rising from N55.8bn in 2023 to N92.9bn in 2024.Analysing the financial performance of the entities that make up the group indicated that Heirs Life Assurance reported an 85 percent increase in Gross Written Premium from N23.87bn in 2023 to N44.22bn in 2024. Insurance revenue rose by 109 per cent to N15.1bn from N7.3bn in 2023 as its profit before tax grew to N5.5bn, up from N1.88bn, indicating a 193 per cent increase. Claims paid by Heirs Life also rose to N5.67bn, a 120 percent increase from N2.5bn paid to customers in 2023.Heirs General Insurance also maintained a strong growth trajectory as its Gross Written Premium rose by 42 per cent to N16.9bn from N11.9bn in 2023. Insurance revenue hit N14.3bn, a 19 per cent increase from the N12bn recorded in 2023, and profit before tax grew by 104 per cent, rising from N2.4bn in 2023 to N4.9bn in 2024. HGI also demonstrated strong claims responsiveness, with claims paid amounting to N4.7bn, up 25 per cent from N3.7bn in the previous year.The insurance broking and risk management consulting firm in the group, Heirs Insurance Brokers, posted growth as well. Its revenue grew by 54 per cent from N1.28bn in FY2023 to N1.97bn in 2024, driven by increased client acquisition and retention. Profit Before Tax rose by 53 per cent fromN528.59m in the prior year to N805.91m in 2024, highlighting strong cost discipline and operational efficiency.In a statement accompanying the financial results, the group said it had achieved year-on-year growth due to its strong leadership and corporate governance and a focus on driving digital innovation to make insurance simple and accessible.It added, “Beyond technology, the group drives advocacy across all customer clusters, aligning with its purpose to improve lives and transform Nigeria. Its Essay Championship drives insurance literacy among young students and the school ecosystem, and its travel festival advocates for more inclusive policies to enable cross-border travel, among many other initiatives.”Heirs Insurance Group serves both corporate and individual customers across Nigeria.

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Confusion Trails Mohammed Babangida’s BOA Chairmanship Appointment

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By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The Presidency has denied reports claiming that Mohammed Babangida, son of former military president Ibrahim Babangida, turned down his recent appointment as Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) by President Bola Tinubu.The clarification came after a letter, purportedly signed by Mohammed Babangida and circulated by Chief Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggested that Babangida had declined the offer due to personal and professional reasons.

However, presidential media aide Olusegun Dada swiftly dismissed the claims in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Babangida had not only accepted the appointment but also expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity.
“Muhammed Babangida has officially accepted his appointment as Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture,” Dada wrote. “He thanks President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the trust reposed in him and categorically denies any report suggesting otherwise.”In a statement attributed to Babangida and shared by Dada, the former military president’s son condemned the letter as false, malicious, and intended to mislead the public and discredit the Tinubu administration.Further debunking the claim, Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, a media aide to Babangida, described the circulating letter as “fake” and the handiwork of mischief-makers. He insisted that the document was fabricated, bearing a forged signature and incorrect contact details.“Mohammed Babangida did not reject the appointment. The letter in circulation is fake,” Abdullahi said. “He remains grateful for the honour and is committed to serving the nation in this capacity.”The Presidency emphasized that those responsible for spreading the false information would be investigated and prosecuted, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and national cohesion.Tinubu had recently approved a series of high-profile appointments aimed at strengthening key government institutions, with Mohammed Babangida’s BOA chairmanship among the most notable.

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Retired Police Officers Defy Rain, Protest Against Pension Scheme

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By David Torough, Abuja

In a powerful show of frustration and resilience, scores of retired police officers braved heavy rain yesterday to protest at the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja. Their demand was clear: an immediate exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they described as exploitative and dehumanising.

The elderly demonstrators, many in their 60s and 70s, carried placards and sang solidarity songs, accusing the government of neglecting their welfare after decades of service to the nation.
Among them was retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Manir Lawal, who said: “We deserve to retire in dignity. This scheme has impoverished us.”Undeterred by the weather, the retirees vowed to remain at the protest site until the leadership of the National Assembly addressed their concerns.
Security personnel were on hand to ensure order, but the mood remained calm and determined.Meanwhile, a similar demonstration took place in Ilorin, Kwara and Plateau States, where members of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) staged a peaceful protest. The group, led by retired CSP Yakubu Jimoh, echoed demands for an exit from the CPS and called for the creation of a dedicated Police Pension Board—similar to pension structures enjoyed by the military and other security agencies.Jimoh cited glaring disparities in pension benefits, stating that while senior police officers such as AIGs and DIGs had successfully exited the scheme, rank-and-file officers were left behind with meagre monthly stipends and inadequate gratuities. “Imagine being paid just N2.4 million after 35 years of service, and receiving N30,000 monthly. It’s insulting,” he said.Legal Adviser of ARPON, retired SP Adekunle Iwalaiye, emphasised that the protest was not about incitement or lawlessness, but a cry for justice. “We are Nigerians too. We have bullet wounds and sacrifices. Our pensions must reflect that.”However, the Nigeria Police Force has warned of attempts by “external elements” to hijack the peaceful movement. According to a statement posted on X, such individuals were allegedly encouraging confrontation and disorder. The police urged retirees to remain calm and assured them of ongoing efforts to resolve their demands.Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, met with the protesters in Abuja and denied allegations that he was opposed to exiting the CPS.He acknowledged the hardship endured by pensioners and confirmed ongoing high-level engagements, including a recent meeting with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, to improve retirement benefits.“I empathise with you. I am not opposed to leaving the CPS, but it’s beyond the power of any IGP to unilaterally remove the force from the scheme,” he explained. Egbetokun encouraged the retirees to remain hopeful, noting that alternative solutions to enhance the current system were being explored.In a related development, civil servants in Abuja have urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to pay four months’ arrears of the N35,000 wage award.Many expressed disappointment over the delay, accusing the government of insincerity and urging it to disburse the payments in full.As protests and demands for improved pensions grow louder across Nigeria, both retired and active personnel are calling on the government to honor its commitments and restore dignity to public service.

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