President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to two recently passed bills, citing constitutional and fiscal concerns.
He returned them to the National Assembly for review, warning of possible financial irregularities.
President Bola Tinubu has refused to sign two bills recently passed by the National Assembly, citing issues that could violate fiscal discipline and the Constitution.
In a letter dated July 30, 2025, and read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday, Tinubu said he declined assent to the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (Establishment) Bill, 2025, and the National Assembly Library Fund Bill because of “fundamental defects” in their content.
He explained that certain provisions in the transport institute bill were inconsistent with financial regulations and could lead to financial abuse. Tinubu pointed out Section 18(4a), which proposed allocating one percent of all import and export levies to the institute without Federal Executive Council approval, saying the clause would duplicate existing revenue sources.
He also faulted the section that allowed the institute to borrow up to N50 million without presidential approval, warning that such power could be exploited. “This could be abused, as the institute may repeatedly request to borrow N50 million or less to avoid approval,” he noted.
Tinubu further highlighted contradictions in Sections 23 and 24(5) regarding fund management and investment, and described Section 18(2) as inconsistent with public finance principles. He said agencies funded through government appropriations should not operate in ways that suggest they generate surplus funds.
Regarding the National Assembly Library Fund Bill, the President said its financial provisions could create an “unsustainable precedent” and weaken fiscal discipline in the national budget.
Tinubu returned both bills to the National Assembly for review. In reaction, Senate President Akpabio praised the President for his careful assessment and said the Senate committees concerned would work to correct the identified flaws.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has signed into law two other bills, the Nigeria Police Force Training Institute (Establishment) Bill and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, to strengthen police training and institutional capacity. Akpabio said the move aligns with the administration’s goal of reforming the security sector and improving law enforcement efficiency.
