The number of bills passed by the Eighth National Assembly and rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari since assumption of office in May 2015 has increased to 38.
This followed the President’s rejection of the Nigerian Correctional Service Bill at Tuesday plenary.
In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and read at Plenary, President Buhari said the bill violates Sections 81 and 84 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
With this development, the number of declined bills by the President now stands at 38.
In a letter dated April 4, 2019 and read by Saraki at Tuesday plenary, the President said: “I am declining assent to the bill because Section 44 (d) of the bill which seeks to fund the special noncustodial fund with 5percent of all fines paid to the federal purse violates the provisions of Sections 81 and 84 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) will guarantee the independence of the Judiciary”.
It would be recalled that last month, the President had rejected eight new bills passed by the National Assembly.
The bills included the controversial National Housing Fund Bill, Ajaokuta Steel Company Completion Fund Bill, Nigerian Aeronautical Search and Rescue Bill, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency Bill and National Biotechnology Development Agency Bill.
READ ALSO: Kwara Governor signs violence against persons bill into law
Others were the National Institute of Credit Administration Bill, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Bill as well as the Chattered Institute of Training and Development of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill.
Other bills earlier rejected by Buhari since 2015 include: Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Amendment Bill, Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Est.) Bill, National Research and Innovation Council (Est.) Bill and National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill.
Also rejected were: Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment) Bill, Chattered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Est.) Bill, Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill, Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill as well as six constitution amendment bills.
Others include: Nigerian Film Corporation Bill, Immigration (Amendment) Bill, Climate Change Bill, Chattered Institute of Pension Practitioners Bill, Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, National Transport Commission Bill, Federal Road Authority (Establishment) Bill, National Broadcasting Commission Amendment Bill, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Act (Amendment) Bill and Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment) Bill.
The President also rejected the four versions of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill passed by the Eighth National Assembly.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
