Tinubu Rejects NDLEA Amendment Bill Over Constitutional Concerns

President Bola Tinubu has withheld assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, citing its inconsistency with Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution. The bill had proposed allowing the NDLEA to retain a percentage of seized proceeds from drug-related offenses.

In a letter addressed to the House of Representatives and read during plenary, Tinubu stated that the current legal framework requires such funds to be deposited in the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. Any disbursement to agencies like the NDLEA must follow due authorization by the President, Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly.

The decision has returned the bill to the legislature for possible revisions or an override attempt. The rejection underscores the administration’s emphasis on constitutional compliance and fiscal accountability in public finance management.