Following the criticisms that trailed the omission of  the late Ameyo Adadevoh, the medical doctor who ‘sacrificed’ her life to curb the spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria, from the list of Nigerians to be given award of National Honours, the presidency has explained why it could not bestow a national honour on the deceased.

It would be recalled that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan last week approved the award of National Honours to deserving individuals in various categories.

The omission of the late Dr. Adadevoh drew criticism from commentators who argued that she should have been honoured posthumously.

Commenting on his official twitter account on the matter, the Senior Special Assistant to the President Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe explained that laws that established the National Honours in Nigeria make it impossible for Jonathan to include the late Adedevoh in the list.

Below is Okupe’s tweet:

I have recieved enquiries as two why the adadevoh was not included in d honors list By law establishing it nat.honors cannot be given post humously

While replying queries from some of his followers, Okupe explained that the late medical doctor will receive a befitting honour and recognition in no distant time, stressing that there is no need to break the law in her favour.

“At d (the) appropiate (appropriate) time dr adadevoh will rcv (receive) a befitting honor”, the other reads, “no need to break d (the) law when we can still achieve same result without violation of our own law”, Okupe tweeted.

The Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year.

They were instituted by the National Honors Act No. 5 of 1964, during the Nigerian First Republic, to honour Nigerians who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation.

According to a statement released by the Nigerian Federal Government last week, the latest recipients of national honours will receive the awards on 29 September 29, 2014, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The late Adedevoh died on Tuesday, 19th August 2014 from the EVD she contracted from Sawyer.

Since her death, at least five other people have died from the Ebola disease in Nigeria, according to Nigerian health ministry.