By Olatunbosun Obafemi
President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025, citing concerns over financial accountability. His decision was conveyed in a letter read by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during Thursday’s plenary session.
The bill sought to grant the NDLEA the authority to retain a percentage of proceeds recovered from drug-related crimes.
However, Tinubu argued that such a provision contradicts established financial procedures. “All proceeds of crime are paid into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account,” the President noted.
Disbursements to any agency, he explained, require presidential approval and must be endorsed by both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
Tinubu emphasized that the current structure guarantees transparency and oversight and should remain unchanged.
This marks the second time in a week that the President has declined assent to proposed legislation. On Tuesday, he rejected the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (Establishment) Amendment Bill, 2025, citing conflicts with existing federal laws, particularly regarding funding, taxation, and remuneration.
Despite these rejections, Tinubu is expected to sign four major tax reform bills aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s fiscal system. The pending laws – the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill — are the product of broad consultations and are seen as critical to enhancing revenue generation and tax governance in the country.
