President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has withheld presidential assent to two bills passed by the National Assembly, citing significant legal, structural and drafting deficiencies that he said must be corrected before they can become law.
The rejected legislations are the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Establishment) Amendment Bill, 2026 and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The President’s decisions were conveyed in two separate letters dated July 7, 2026, which were read on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
In the first letter, Tinubu invoked Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in declining assent to the amendment bill establishing the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria.
According to the President, while the proposed amendments were generally commendable, the provisions contained in Clause 8, particularly the proposed subclauses (10) to (15), were legally untenable.
“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 to decline assent to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2007, as presently drafted.
“Following a careful consideration of the Bill in line with extant laws, drafting requirements and standards, it is observed that the proposed amendments are laudable and in order, except for the proposed amendments in Clause 8 seeking to insert subclauses (10) to (15) after Section 11(9) of the Principal Act.”
Tinubu argued that the amendment improperly sought to empower the Institute to regulate private organisations that are not under its jurisdiction.
He faulted the provision requiring organisations to submit details of their procurement heads to the Institute within one month of appointment.
“The Institute, not being the regulator, cannot compel incorporated entities or organisations that are independent and perhaps not registered members of the Institute to furnish such particulars.”
The President also rejected provisions prescribing daily fines for organisations employing non-members of the Institute as procurement heads, describing the measure as an infringement on business freedom.
“This would amount to forcing incorporated entities or organisations to recruit members of the Institute as heads of procurement and would constitute an unreasonable restraint of trade.”
Tinubu further objected to clauses compelling organisations to notify the Institute whenever procurement officers are removed, insisting that the Institute lacks statutory authority over the internal affairs of private entities.
He also dismissed provisions empowering the Institute to institute legal action against non-members, establish inspection committees and monitor compliance by incorporated organisations.
“The Institute can enforce compliance against its members, not against non-members.”
“The Institute cannot act as a compliance officer for incorporated entities or organisations as defined under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.”
Despite rejecting the bill, the President indicated his willingness to reconsider it once the identified defects are corrected.
“Subject to the correction of the above issues, the Bill may be suitable for retransmission for assent.”
Tinubu also declined assent to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026, citing what he described as serious structural inconsistencies and poor legislative drafting.
“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 to decline assent to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026 because the Bill contains structural errors and drafting defects.”
According to the President, the bill’s long title failed to capture its central objective of promoting the development, protection and processing of Nigeria’s raw materials.
“The long title of the Bill does not reflect the key policy objectives of the Principal Act, which relate specifically to the development, protection and processing of raw materials in Nigeria.”
Tinubu also pointed out that the amendment confused the objectives of the legislation with the operational functions of the Council, thereby creating legal ambiguity.
He further criticised the insertion of new provisions relating to value addition to raw materials into sections dealing with the Council’s finances, describing the arrangement as incoherent.
“These erroneous insertions make the Bill incoherent and difficult to comprehend within the context of the Principal Act. Accordingly, the Bill, as currently proposed, is disjointed.”
The President’s decision means both bills have been returned to the National Assembly for further legislative work before they can be reconsidered for presidential assent.
