Buhari rejects two national assembly bills

President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to assent to two bills forwarded to him by the national assembly.

The two bills are the University of Wukari establishment bill, 2017 and Chartered Institute of Treasury Management establishment bill 2017.

The president’s decision to withhold assent to the bills was contained in two separate letters which Senate President Bukola Saraki read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.

Buhari explained that he chose not to sign the bills because of “certain words and phrases” used in the bills.

“Pursuant to section 58 (4) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999. I hereby convey to the senate my decision on the 25th of October, 2017 to withhold assent to the University of Wukari establishment bill 2017,” the letter read.

“The rationale for withholding assent is regarding certain words and phrases utilised in the bill.

“For instance statutes should replace regulation throughout the bill for consistently. Paragraph 9 (1) of the first schedule should refer to the president and not the visitor and paragraph 5 of the first schedule should refer to sub-paragraph 2 and not sub-paragraph 3.

“The phrase treasury management is not defined in the bill, greater clarity maybe required regarding the impact of the bill of the central bank’s regulation of treasury managers in banks and the relationship between the professional institutes and other existing professional institutes that regulate treasury managers in Nigeria.

“Please accept senate president assurances of my highest consideration.”