Tinubu Rejects Two National Assembly Bills Over Constitutional Defects
President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to two bills passed by the National Assembly, citing constitutional and drafting deficiencies that must be corrected before the proposed legislation can become law.
The decision was conveyed to the Senate on Thursday through two separate letters read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.
The affected bills are the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Bill.
In both letters, Tinubu said he was withholding assent pursuant to Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to return bills to the National Assembly with observations for reconsideration.
Explaining his decision on the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, the President said the proposed legislation contained structural and drafting flaws that required correction. He noted that the bill’s long title did not adequately reflect its core objective of promoting the development, protection and processing of Nigeria’s raw materials.
According to him, the title should clearly indicate that the amendment seeks to enhance the development and protection of Nigeria’s raw materials while supporting local manufacturing and processing industries.
Tinubu also identified inconsistencies in Section 2 of the bill, saying it presented the council’s functions as legislative objectives rather than operational responsibilities. He explained that legislative objectives are intended to outline policy goals, not define the specific duties of an agency, adding that the bill confused the two concepts.
The President further observed that provisions relating to value addition to raw materials were inserted between sections dealing with the council’s finances and annual accounts, making the amendment disjointed and difficult to interpret.
“These erroneous insertions make the Bill incoherent and difficult to comprehend within the context of the Principal Act. Accordingly, the Bill as currently proposed is disjointed,” he stated.
Tinubu also withheld assent to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Bill, arguing that some of its provisions sought to confer powers on the institute beyond its statutory mandate.
While acknowledging that several of the proposed amendments were commendable, the President maintained that certain provisions required further legislative review before the bill could receive presidential assent.
He specifically objected to the proposed amendment to Clause 8, which seeks to introduce new sub-clauses (10) to (15) into Section 11 of the principal Act.
According to Tinubu, one of the provisions would require incorporated entities and organisations to notify the institute within one month of appointing a head of procurement and supply chain. He argued that such a requirement was legally untenable because the institute is not the statutory regulator of those organisations.
“The Institute, not being the regulator, cannot compel incorporated entities or organisations that are independent and perhaps not registered members of the Institute to furnish such particulars,” the President stated.
Tinubu also faulted provisions empowering the institute to inspect organisations, sanction employers and exercise compliance functions over entities established under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, saying the proposed powers exceeded the institute’s legal authority.
Despite his objections, the President said the bill could still receive his assent once the identified issues are addressed.
“Subject to the correction of the above issues, the Bill may be suitable for retransmission for assent,” he said.
Following the reading of the letters, Akpabio referred both communications to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action, directing the committee to report back to the chamber within four weeks.
Under Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, the President may withhold assent to any bill passed by the National Assembly and return it with observations for reconsideration. The lawmakers may thereafter amend the bills in line with the President’s recommendations or, where necessary, override the veto in accordance with constitutional provisions.