President Bola Tinubu on Thursday conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.
The conferment came during Tinubu’s State of the Nation address at the special joint sitting of the National Assembly to mark Nigeria’s June 12, 2025 Democracy Day celebrations.
It will be recalled that Kalu was previously awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Tinubu in his national broadcast on October 1, 2024, to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day.
The President’s decision to elevate Kalu’s status from CON to CFR barely eight months later apparently underscores the Deputy Speaker’s continued dedication, service and contributions to Nigeria’s growth and development.
As Deputy Speaker, Kalu has championed people-oriented legislations and motions, including the landmark South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill, which was signed into law by President Tinubu last year, creating the South East Debenhams Commission (SEDC) to drive development in the South East region.
Another notable initiative of the Deputy Speaker is the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P), aimed at promoting peace and security in the South East through non-kinetic measures.
Kalu who was the spokesman of the 9th House of Representatives represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State at the National Assembly.
