Tinubu declines assent to NDLEA Amendment Bill, cites constitutional, transparency concerns
President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill 2025 into law, citing concerns over constitutional compliance and transparency.
In a formal letter to the House of Representatives—read during plenary on Thursday, June 26 by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen—President Tinubu invoked Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers him to withhold assent to a bill passed by the National Assembly.
The President explained that his decision was based on a provision in the amendment bill that seeks to allow the NDLEA to retain a portion of proceeds from drug-related crimes. He argued that this proposal conflicts with Nigeria’s existing legal and administrative framework for managing proceeds of crime.
“The rationale for my decision is that the bill seeks to give the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency power to retain a portion of the proceeds of drug-related crime,” the President stated.
He emphasized that under current laws, all such proceeds are required to be paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. Disbursements to any agency involved in the recovery process must receive presidential authorization, along with approval from both the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Assembly.
“There is no compelling reason to change the current process, which promotes transparency, as it involves executive and legislative oversight,” Tinubu added.
The NDLEA Amendment Bill 2025, which had been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, was intended to strengthen the agency’s operational independence and provide a more sustainable funding structure.
