Buhari withholds assent to 3 bills

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday rejected three bills passed by the National Assembly.

He said the in conflict with Constitution.

Buhari in a letter dated February 2, said he declined assent to the bills in line with section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution. bills are the 1999

The three bills, according to the letter read by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided the plenary session are, Police Procurement Fund (Establishment), Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria and Nigeria Council for Social Work.

Buhari said he declined assent to the Police Procurement Fund due to lack of clarity regarding the manner of disbursement of funds, as well as Constitutional issues regarding the powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds allocated to the 36 State Governments and 774 Local Governments.

He said the law was in conflict with Sections 80 82, and 120 122 of the 1999 Constitution.

The President rejected the said he Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria bill due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of, “Public management.”

On Nigerian Council for Social Work, he said his decision was due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of “Social work” that the bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institute from practicing.