The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang has said President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the highest number of bills compared to every other President that has ruled Nigeria.
He also said rumors circulating that Buhari loves refusing to sign important bills are false.
His words, “Under the 8th Assembly, the highest number of bills have been passed in the life of the legislature from 1999 to date.
Also, it is President Muhammadu Buhari that has assented to and brought into law the highest number of bills. So, he deserves accolade on this.”
“Whenever Mr President assents to a law and there is something wrong with that law, it is the public that will question both the legislature and the Executive through the court.
So, what the President has done is to state detailed reasons why he withholds assent to some of the bills.
I know that when Mr President withholds assent, the legislature looks back again at the reasons the president gives.
Some is that it runs contrary to the Constitution. Some may be that it runs in conflict with existing laws.
Some maybe that there is a drafting error which if assented to in the manner it is, will create ambiguity in the course of interpretation. Some may be that it will cause revenue leakage.”
“On the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), for instance, the president said there will be too much money available to the Petroleum Regulatory Commission than will be available to be distributed to the other tiers of government.
Also, the amount of money that will go to the agency will be too high for that agency alone as against what money will be made available to be distributed to the local governments and the state governments.”
