Tinubu declines assent to Adamawa varsity bill, cites errors

President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to a bill seeking to establish the Federal University of Education, Numan, Adamawa state.

The bill was passed by both chambers of the national assembly in 2024.

Tinubu’s decision to decline assent to the bill is contained in a letter read by Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker, on the floor of the house of representatives, on Tuesday.

The president highlighted several errors in the bill, including the disposal of the university’s land to the governor instead of the president.

“Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the House of Representatives, my decision on 23rd December 2024 to decline Presidential assent to the Federal University of Education Numan (Establishment) Bill, 2024 recently passed by the National Assembly,” the letter reads.

“I am declining assent to the Bill due to the following; (a) Section 22 of the Bill accords the authority to consent to the disposal of land to the Governor and not the President as ought to be the case in respect of land belonging to a Federal Government entity (in the case of Universities).

“(b) The word “statutes” is spelled as “statues” in items 13 and 15 under arrangement of sections;

“(c) The preposition “of” is omitted between the word “award” and “degree” in section 25(4)(b), and

“(d) The phrase “one-third” is spelled as “on-third” in article 4(3) of the third schedule to the Bill.”

The house subsequently adjourned plenary to Wednesday in honour of Adewunmi Onanuga, the deputy majority leader, who died in January.