Buhari Rejects 17 Additional Bills, Assents Nine Others

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected additional 17 out of the 318 bills passed by the Eighth National Assembly.

This is just as the Senate Wednesday affirmed a motion directing the executive to ensure the replacement of old oil pipelines spread across the country.

Buhari at the last count, has however, assented to nine other bills passed by the eighth National Assembly .

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who made this known to journalists yesterday explained that President Buhari decided not to communicate with the Ninth Assembly on the rejection of those bills because the new lawmakers cannot take any decision on the rejected bills.

He, however, promised to engage the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly on the rationale behind the rejection of the bills.

According to him, the current assembly cannot take action by way of commenting or overriding any of the rejected bills because the law forbids the federal lawmakers to do so.

The 17 rejected bills, Enang revealed, include Adeyemi Federal university of Education (Establishment) Bill; Federal University of Education, Kano, Bill; Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Bill; Federal University of Education Zaria, Bill; National Security Agencies Protection of Officers Identity Bill; Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency Bill; Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria Bill.

Others are Industrial Development Income Tax Act Amendment Bill; Defence Research and Development Bureau Bill; Animal Diseases Control Bill; Good Samaritans Bill; Chattered Institute of Directors of Nigeria Bill; National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Establishment Bill; Federal University of Wukari (Establishment) Bill; Warehouse Receipt and Other Related Matters Bill; Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Agency Bill; Nigeria Automative Industry Development Plant Fiscal Incentive and Guarantees Bill; Nigerian Film Commission Bill; and Proceeds of Crime Bill.

Enang also named the nine bills assented to by President Buhari.

The nine bills assented to by Buhari were the Police Trust Fund Act, Nigeria Natural Medicine Establishment Act, FCT Management Board and Health Insurance, Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Defence Bill.

Others are, Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria Bill, National Institute of Construction Technology and Management (Establishment) bill, National Agricultural Seed Council bill, Agriculture Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment), FCT Primary Healthcare Board.

The rejected ones were Adeyemi Federal University of Education (Establishment) Bill, Federal University of Education Kano, Bill, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Bill, and Federal University of Education Zaria, Bill.

Others were the National Security Agencies Protection of Officers Identity Bill, Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency Bill, Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria Bill.

Also rejected were the Industrial Development Income Tax Act Amendment Bill, Defence Research and Development Bureau Bill, Animal Diseases Control Bill, Good Samaritans Bill, and the Chattered Institute of Directors of Nigeria Bill.

The list also included the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Establishment Bill, Federal University of Wukari (Establishment) Bill, Warehouse Receipt and Other Related Matters Bill, and the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Agency Bill.

Buhari also rejected the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plant Fiscal Incentive and Guarantees Bill, Nigerian Film Commission Bill and the Proceeds of Crime Bill.

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday called on the federal government to replace all old oil pipelines in the country following a recent oil pipeline explosion at Komkom Town in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State which claimed many lives and property.

Specifically, it urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and all other relevant agencies involved in the oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities; as well as laying of the pipelines to take a holistic survey of their pipelines so that very aged ones should be replaced.

The upper legislative chamber also urged all agencies in the oil and gas production sector to improve on the security of the nation’s oil pipelines across the country.

While further directing the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to visit the scene and provide succour to those affected, the Senate sympathised with the government and people of Rivers State and especially the Komkom people over the ugly incident.

Senate’s resolutions followed a motion on the explosion sponsored by Senator George Sekibo ( Rivers East) and three other senators during plenary.

Presenting the motion, Sekibo informed that no fewer than 15 persons died instantly with over 50 injured while properties worth millions of naira were consumed by the fire from the June 22 Komkom explosion.