President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to a bill seeking to establish the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, 2025, into law.
The bill was passed by both chambers of the national assembly.
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, on Tuesday read the letter containing the president’s decline of assent to the bill on the floor of the house.
According to the letter, the president said that while the bill contains laudable objectives, some of its provisions conflict with extant laws.
He raised several concerns, particularly about funding.
“Notwithstanding the laudable objectives of the legislation, certain provisions contained therein go against the settled law and policies of the federal government of Nigeria as it relates to the funding of agencies under the national assembly, taxation of national entities, public service remuneration, as well as age and year of service, among others,” the speaker quoted Tinubu as saying in the letter.
Tinubu cautioned that signing the bill in its current form could create an impractical precedent.
“If this bill becomes law, these provisions will establish an unsustainable precedent against the public interest,” he said.
The president asked lawmakers to address issues he raised in the bill.
“I hope that the house of representatives will take necessary steps to fix the identified issues with the legislation,” Tinubu said.
On May 29, 2024, the national assembly management named the library after Tinubu.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a legal framework for a dedicated fund to improve the research capabilities and development of lawmakers and staff within the national assembly.
It also aims to support the creation of a modern, well-equipped library for legislative use.
The bill’s proposed funding includes special intervention allocations from the federal government, budgetary provisions by the national assembly, and external contributions such as grants, donations, endowments, gifts, assets, land, or any form of support from public or private entities.