Buhari declines assent to 3 bills

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to three bills recently passed by the National Assembly.

The President’s letter dated January 25th this year was addressed to Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, entitled, “Presidential decision to decline assent to 3 bills recently passed by the National Assembly in December 2017.”

The three bills are Police Procurement Fund (Establishment) bill. 2017, Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria bill 2017 and Nigerian Council for Social Work Establishment bill 2017.

President Buhari in his letter said that, “Pursuant to Section 58(4) of constitution if the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the House of Representatives, my decision, on (25th January 2018) to decline Presidential assent to three bills recently passed by National Assembly.”

The President on Police Procurement fund (establishment) bill 2017, said that, he refused assent, due to lack of clarity regarding the manner of disbursement of funds, as well as constitutional issue regarding the powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds allocated to the 36 states government and 774 local governments, which conflict with Section 80-82, and 120-122 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

Also, on Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria Bill, 2017, he said that he refused assent due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of “public management” that this bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institute from practising.

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While on Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) bill 2017, the President said that he refused assent, due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of “social work” that this bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institute from practising.