Why Buhari declined assent to Maritime Varsity bill

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday declined to sign into law the bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Maritime University which was recently passed by the National Assembly.

The president’s decision to decline assent to the bill was contained in two separate letters read by Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Thursday.

For the maritime university bill, Buhari said the funding provisions for the institution “are grossly excessive.”

“Pursuant to section 58 (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended, I hereby convey to the Senate my decision on 25 th May 2019 to decline presidential assent to the Nigeria Maritime University Establishment Bill 2018 recently passed by the national assembly,” he said.

“I am declining my assent to the bill because the funding provisions are grossly excessive and will disrupt the operation of a number of government agencies and institutions.”

In a related development, the President also declined assent to the institute of chartered biochemist and molecular biologist bill 2019.

According to President Buhari, there is already an existing chartered institute biochemist.

“There is already an existing chattered institute biochemist of Nigeria established pursuant to CAP 1(12) laws of the federation of Nigeri which has a similar mandate and function to the proposed Chartered Biochemist and Molecular Biologist,” he said.

“Section 11 a and g and sections 12 and 13 (1, 2 and 3) conflict with mandate and functions of the National Universities Commission (NUC).”