The House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to remove the ‘Honourable’ and ‘Distinguished’ titles from members of the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively.
Daily Trust reports that while members of the Green Chamber are identified with the appellation of ‘Honourable’, their counterparts at the Red Chamber answer ‘Distinguished.’
The bill, which was jointly sponsored by the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and the Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno is titled, “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017; and for Related Matters (HB.2149
Rep Monguno in his lead debate noted that the bill seeks to amend the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act to ensure Honorable members are referred to as ‘Representatives’ and not Honorables and Senators will be termed as ‘Senators’ and not Distinguished.
Contributing, Rep. Segun Odebunmi praised the spirit of the bill saying it will distinguish members from state councillors and others who are also termed honourables.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Idris while supporting the bill warned that the application of the bill should not make members look down on any other arm of government as they are all working together for the benefit of Nigerians.
The bill was approved for second reading and referred to the Committee of the Whole.
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