President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declined assent to two bills passed by the National Assembly, citing constitutional powers and the need to address what he considers deficiencies in them.
The Senators were formally notified of the President’s decision through two separate letters read during plenary on Thursday by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio
The proposed legislation are the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Bill.
In the communications, Tinubu said he withheld assent to the bills pursuant to Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
On the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, the President explained that it contains structural errors and drafting that make it unsuitable for assent.
He noted that the long title of the bill failed to reflect its principal policy objective of promoting the development, protection and processing of Nigeria’s raw materials.
According to him, the long title should expressly state that the proposed amendment seeks to provide for the development and protection of Nigeria’s raw materials, local manufacturing and processing industries.
Tinubu also identified inconsistencies in Section 2 of the bill, saying it incorrectly presented the functions of the council as the objectives of the legislation.
He explained that objectives are intended to state the policy goals and not enforceable provisions.
The President further faulted the insertion of new operational provisions relating to value addition to raw materials between the existing financial provisions of the principal Act.
He said the new sections were wrongly placed between provisions dealing with the Council’s finances and annual accounts, making the amendment incoherent.