President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially declined to sign the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025 into law. The decision was communicated in a letter read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during Tuesday’s plenary session in the House of Representatives.

The bill, which aimed to restructure the existing National Assembly Library Trust Fund into a full-fledged National Assembly Resource Centre, was seen by many as a positive step toward improving legislative research and institutional development.

However, President Tinubu raised serious concerns over several parts of the bill, citing constitutional, fiscal, and policy-related conflicts that could undermine existing governance systems.

“While the Bill pursues commendable objectives, some of its provisions are inconsistent with established laws and policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the President noted.

What Are the Key Issues?

According to the President’s letter, some of the bill’s provisions — particularly those involving:

Funding structures for National Assembly institutions

Taxation of federal entities

Remuneration rules in the public sector

Age and service-year requirements

…could set a problematic precedent and create ripple effects across other federal bodies.

Tinubu emphasized that, although the goals of the bill are well-intentioned, passing it in its current form could lead to legal complications and financial instability.

What Happens Next?

The President urged lawmakers to revisit and revise the bill to bring it in line with existing constitutional and fiscal guidelines.

“I trust the House of Representatives will take appropriate steps to resolve the issues identified in this legislation,” Tinubu stated.

For now, the bill is headed back to the National Assembly, where lawmakers will either revise the content or decide whether to override the President’s decision — a rare move requiring two-thirds support.

This development highlights the ongoing balance of power between the executive and legislative branches, especially when it comes to public sector reforms and resource allocation.