NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu has refused to give his approval to the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Establishment) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing conflicts with current federal laws and policies.
In a correspondence directed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which was read by the Speaker on Tuesday, Tinubu expressed that while he recognised the commendable goals of the proposed legislation, numerous provisions within the bill were at odds with established laws and policies of the federal government.
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The President noted that the bill included clauses concerning funding mechanisms for agencies under the National Assembly, taxation of national entities, public service remuneration, as well as age and years of service, which he indicated could set a perilous and unsustainable precedent.
“Despite the commendable objectives of the legislation, certain provisions within it contradict the established laws and policies of the federal government of Nigeria regarding the funding of agencies under the National Assembly, taxation of national entities, public service remuneration, and age and years of service, among other issues,” Tinubu remarked.
The Nigerian leader cautioned that passing the bill into law in its present form would not only conflict with existing governance frameworks but also undermine the public interest.
“If this bill becomes law, these provisions will establish an unsustainable precedent against the public interest,” the President added.
As a result, President Tinubu officially notified the House that he would not provide presidential approval for the legislation and encouraged lawmakers to reconsider and address the highlighted concerns.
“I hope that the House of Representatives will take necessary steps to fix the identified issues with the legislation,” the letter read.
The National Assembly Library Trust Fund Amendment Bill, 2025, is among others, designed to strengthen the operations and financing of the legislative library system.