Buba Galadima, chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says most of the people national honours are conferred on are persons of questionable character who ought to be languishing behind the bars.
Speaking in a chat with Arise News TV on Friday, Galadima described the national honours as a “reward for the boys”.
On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred national titles on at least 447 Nigerians and friends of the country.
The recipients were awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
Speaking on the relevance of the awards, Galadima queried the recognition of some of the awardees, noting that 440 of 447 people Buhari gave national awards to should be in jail.
He said the awards “should be given to people who have retired with unblemished careers”.
“Of what purpose is the honour? What is honour to some of these people?” he asked.
“It is a reward for the boys and General Muhammadu Buhari himself has severally accused Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, late President Musa Yar’Ádua and former President Goodluck Jonathan of giving awards, medals and national honours to people of doubtful characters.
“Who is it among those that he gave these national honours have impeccable characters? These awards should be given to people who have retired with unblemished careers and have not been followed by either ICPC or EFCC, or those who died in national service.”
