{"id":128213,"date":"2026-07-08T18:43:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=128213"},"modified":"2026-07-08T18:43:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:43:36","slug":"tinubu-sends-two-executive-bills-to-reps-rejects-two-amendment-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/tinubu-sends-two-executive-bills-to-reps-rejects-two-amendment-proposals\/","title":{"rendered":"Tinubu Sends Two Executive Bills to Reps, Rejects Two Amendment Proposals\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Tracy Moses<\/strong><\/div>\n
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted two executive bills to the House of Representatives seeking legislative approval for reforms in senior secondary education and Nigeria’s criminal justice system, while withholding assent to two amendment bills passed by the National Assembly over constitutional and drafting concerns.<\/p>\n

The President’s requests were contained in four separate letters read on the floor of the House on Wednesday by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.<\/p>\n

The executive bills are the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026, while the two bills returned unsigned are the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026.<\/p>\n

In his letter accompanying the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) Amendment Bill, Tinubu said the proposed legislation is aimed at strengthening the administration, governance and funding framework for public senior secondary education across the country.<\/p>\n

He disclosed that the bill received the approval of the Federal Executive Council at its meeting of April 30, 2026, before it was subjected to legal scrutiny and legislative drafting by the Federal Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n

According to the President, the amendment is part of his administration’s efforts to improve educational institutions and learning outcomes nationwide.<\/p>\n

He urged lawmakers to accord the legislation expeditious consideration in the national interest.<\/p>\n

Tinubu also transmitted the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026, seeking to repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and replace it with a new legal framework designed to address longstanding procedural and institutional challenges in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.<\/p>\n

“I am pleased to transmit to the House of Representatives for consideration, a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and Enact the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2026,” the President stated.<\/p>\n

He explained that the proposed legislation is intended “to provide for the administration of criminal justice in the courts of the Federal Capital Territory and other Federal Courts in Nigeria and the establishment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council for effective and efficient administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.”<\/p>\n

The President further said the objective of the bill is to ensure that the criminal justice system promotes “efficient management of criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of society from crime and protection of the rights and interests of the suspect, the defendant and the victim.”<\/p>\n

Tinubu noted that the proposed law addresses persistent shortcomings under the 2015 Act, including delays in criminal investigations and prosecutions, inadequate deployment of technology in criminal proceedings, weak coordination among justice sector institutions, ineffective case management systems and poor monitoring of compliance with the law.<\/p>\n

Among the major reforms proposed are the abolition of trial-within-trial proceedings through a new procedure for determining the admissibility of confessional statements, the establishment of a national Sex Offenders Register to be maintained by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, creation of a Witness Support Fund to ensure prompt payment of witness expenses and the introduction of plea forms to simplify arraignment procedures.<\/p>\n

The bill also proposes mandatory timelines for determining no-case submissions, wider adoption of written witness depositions to accelerate criminal trials, strengthened judicial case management, restructuring of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council to broaden stakeholder representation, appointment of an Executive Secretary for the Council, powers for the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue implementation regulations and measures to eliminate fresh trials occasioned by the death, retirement or transfer of judges.<\/p>\n

Explaining the rationale for replacing the existing law, Tinubu said: “The Bill… has extensively addressed the above challenges. The Bill also reflected developments in criminal justice administration, judicial pronouncements, technological innovations, and international best practices relating to criminal justice reform.”<\/p>\n

He appealed to lawmakers to consider the legislation without delay, saying, “It is my hope that the House of Representatives will consider the Bill… expeditiously.”<\/p>\n

However, the President declined assent to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, 2026, citing constitutional and legal concerns over some of its provisions.<\/p>\n

While acknowledging that several of the proposed amendments were commendable, Tinubu argued that aspects of the bill sought to confer regulatory powers on the institute beyond its statutory mandate.<\/p>\n

He specifically faulted provisions requiring organisations to report procurement appointments to the institute, penalising employers who appoint non-members to head procurement units, compelling organisations to notify the institute whenever procurement officers are removed, empowering the institute to initiate legal proceedings against non-members and authorising inspection visits to organisations.<\/p>\n

According to the President, the institute “is not the statutory regulator of procurement practice in Nigeria” and therefore cannot impose such obligations on independent organisations.<\/p>\n

He advised the National Assembly to review the identified constitutional and legal issues before re-presenting the bill for presidential assent.<\/p>\n

Tinubu also withheld assent to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026, citing drafting deficiencies and structural inconsistencies.<\/p>\n

According to the President, the bill failed to adequately reflect its principal objectives in its long title and contained drafting errors requiring correction before it could receive presidential approval.<\/p>\n

The twin requests for fresh legislation and the return of two amendment bills underscore the administration’s ongoing engagement with the National Assembly as it seeks to advance reforms in critical sectors while insisting on constitutional compliance and sound legislative drafting before bills become law.<\/p>\n

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