President Bola Tinubu has declined to give his approval to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025, which had earlier been passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Tinubu’s refusal was made known in a formal letter that was read aloud during the plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
The letter made reference to Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which allows the President to withhold assent to any bill.
In his explanation, the President noted that one particular clause in the bill was the reason for his decision.
According to the letter, “All proceeds of crime are paid into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. Disbursements to any recovery agency, including the NDLEA, can only be made by presidential approval, subject to the consent of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.”
President Tinubu noted that this clause is not in line with the country’s current financial rules and could create problems for proper management of public funds. He also noted that it may open the door for abuse and misuse of recovered money.
