President Bola Tinubu on Thursday declined assent to two bills passed by the National Assembly, citing constitutional concerns and defects that require correction before the proposed legislation can become law.
The Senate was notified of the President’s decision through two separate letters read on the floor of the chamber by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
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 in line with Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to decline assent to bills and return them 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 law contained structural and drafting deficiencies that needed to be addressed.
He noted that the bill’s long title did not adequately reflect its principal objective of promoting the development, protection and processing of Nigeria’s raw materials.
According to him, the title should clearly state that the amendment seeks to provide for the development and protection of Nigeria’s raw materials, while also supporting local manufacturing and processing industries.
