The National Assembly has commenced the recommittal process of bills passed by the 9thassembly but were neither assented to nor assent withheld by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the expiration of the preceding.
Available records from the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, showed that Bills that fell nto this category were 44, one of which, is the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill, earlier transmitted to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari in April this year but was among those not assented to, before leaving office.
The proposed legislation supported by majority of the federal lawmakers of the 9th National Assembly was retransmitted to President Tinubu for assent through a letter dated 8th June 2023 and signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Magaji Tambawal.
It however became statute – barred for presidential assent on the 13th of June 2023 when the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated since it was passed by the 9th assembly.
Strong moves are however being made at both chambers to expeditiously reconsider, pass and transmit the bill for assent by President Bola Tinubu.Some of the other bills in this category are: Armed Forces Act (Amendment) Bill 2023, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2023, ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other Related Materials (Ratification and Enforcement) Bill 2023, Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill 2023, Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2023, Federal Polytechnic, Nyak-Shendam (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Police Force College Training School and Institution (Establishment) Bill, 2023, National Library of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2023, Federal Medical Centers Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and more.
The Bills, among which the Peace Corps establishment proposal was sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, was read for the first time last Thursday, and are expected to enjoy expeditious passage in both Chambers of the National Assembly as the Bills by extant rules of the House will not commence de-novo.
