President Bola Tinubu has withheld assent to the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Establishment) Amendment Bill, 2025, stopping it from becoming a law.
Tinubu justified his declined assent on various constitutional and policy concerns that if left unaddressed, could undermine existing government frameworks and set what he described as an “unsustainable precedent.”
In a communication read at the resumed plenary of the House of Representatives by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the president acknowledged the noble intentions behind the proposed amendment but highlighted specific provisions that conflict with settled federal laws and policies.
“Notwithstanding the laudable objectives of the legislation, certain provisions contained therein go against the settled law and policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.
Tinubu identified problematic areas, including the funding structure for agencies under the National Assembly, taxation of national entities, matters relating to public service remuneration, as well as stipulations around age and years of service.
“If this bill becomes law, these provisions will establish an unsustainable precedent against the public interest,” the president said.
He noted that the bill, in its current form, poses legal and fiscal risks that could affect public sector governance and the administration of national institutions and urged lawmakers to revisit the legislation and address the highlighted concerns.
“I hope that the House of Representatives will take necessary steps to fix the identified issues with the legislation,” he added.
The bill seeks to amend the Act establishing the National Assembly Library Trust Fund in order to improve funding mechanisms and expand the scope of the library’s services.
