Osinbajo decline assent for four legislative bills

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has declined approving four bills the National Assembly forwarded to the executive for assent.

Osinbajo conveyed his decision in a letter read on the floor of the Senate by the Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki on Wednesday.

The bills are Dangerous Drug Amendment Bill, 2016; National Lottery Bill, 2016; Currency Conversion Freezing Order Amendment Bill, 2016 and  Agricultural Credit Scheme Bill, 2016.

The acting president said assent to some of the bills was withheld due to “concerns regarding words and phrases, and the spirit behind the amendment”,  and due to “the existence of pending legal issue”.

Speaking on the refusal of the acting president to sign the bills into law, Senator Dino Melaye, from Kogi West Senatorial District, said the executive must respect the principle of separation of powers.

He said it was the responsibility of the executive to assent to bills made by the legislature or go to court to challenge them.

However, the Senate President said the matter would be referred to the legal department of the National Assembly for advice and interpretation.