Tinubu rejects extension of retirement age for NASS staff, others

President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to the controversial bill seeking to extend the retirement age of legislative officers to 65 years or 40 years of service.

The President’s decision was contained in a letter he wrote the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, read to lawmakers in Abuja on Tuesday and they reconvened from their eight-week annual recess.

Tinubu didn’t give details, but simply explained that he invoked the powers vested on him by the 1999 constitution to withhold his assent.

He urged the lawmakers to receive “this decision with understanding.”

Known as “Harmonized Retirement Age Bill for Legislative Officers of the National Assembly”, the bill made a provision for Legislative Officers to retire at the age of 65 years as against the 60 years prescribed by the Civil Service Rule, or after spending 40 years in service as against 35 years.

Had the bill been assented to by Mr President, it would have also been passed by the legislatures of the 36 states.

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