President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declined to sign the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Establishment) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing multiple constitutional and policy-related concerns that could undermine existing governance frameworks.
The president’s position was conveyed in a formal communication read on Tuesday at the resumed plenary of the House of Representatives by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
While acknowledging the bill’s good intentions, Tinubu warned that certain provisions within the proposed amendment conflict with established laws and policies of the Federal Government.
“Notwithstanding the laudable objectives of the legislation, certain provisions contained therein go against the settled law and policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he stated.
The president expressed concern that enacting the bill in its current form would set what he described as an “unsustainable precedent” that could negatively impact the public interest.
“If this bill becomes law, these provisions will establish an unsustainable precedent against the public interest,” Tinubu warned.
Among the problematic areas he highlighted were the funding structure for agencies under the National Assembly, issues concerning the taxation of national entities, matters related to public service remuneration, and the stipulations on age and years of service.
Tinubu further cautioned that the bill, if passed without amendments, could introduce legal and fiscal risks that would affect public sector governance and the effective administration of national institutions.
“I hope that the House of Representatives will take necessary steps to fix the identified issues with the legislation,” he added.
The proposed amendment seeks to revise the Act establishing the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, aiming to enhance funding mechanisms and expand the library’s services and scope.
