By Mercy Aikoye
President Bola Tinubu has declined to assent to the Federal University of Education Numan, Adamawa State (Establishment) Bill, 2024. This decision was conveyed in a letter to the House of Representatives, which was read on the floor of the Green Chamber by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Binos Yaroe, was passed by the National Assembly in 2024 and transmitted to the President for assent. However, President Tinubu raised concerns over Section 22 of the bill, which grants the authority to dispose of land belonging to the federal institution to the Adamawa State Governor.
According to President Tinubu, the President has authority on issues relating to Federal Government-owned property, especially federal-owned universities. He stated that Section 22 of the bill confers authority on the governor instead of the President, which is inconsistent with the constitution.
In his letter, President Tinubu cited Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, stating that he declined presidential assent to the bill on December 23, 2024. This decision was made due to the inconsistency in Section 22 of the bill.
However, Senator Yaroe has a different perspective on the matter. At a stakeholders’ forum last week in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, he stated that President Tinubu did not reject the bill outright. Instead, the President pointed out clerical errors in the proposed legislation that needed to be corrected.
According to Senator Yaroe, the error in Section 22 of the bill was a mistake, and the power to grant land authority should have been assigned to the President, not the governor. He assured that the error would be rectified by replacing the governor with the President in the bill.
In related news, the House of Representatives adjourned plenary until Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in honor of the late Deputy Whip, Adewunmi Onanuga, who passed away on January 15. Onanuga represented Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, Ogun State, and was the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs in the 9th Assembly.
The adjournment is a mark of respect for Onanuga’s contributions to the House of Representatives and his constituency. The House will resume plenary on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, to continue its legislative duties.
