President Bola Tinubu has withheld assent to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026, citing constitutional, legal and drafting deficiencies.
The President’s decision was conveyed to the Senate in separate letters read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary.
Procurement Bill Exceeds Institute’s Powers – Tinubu
Explaining his decision on the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, Tinubu said although several of the proposed amendments were well-intentioned, some provisions sought to grant the institute powers beyond its statutory responsibilities.
He noted that the bill would require organisations to report procurement appointments to the institute, penalise employers who appoint non-members to head procurement units, compel organisations to notify the institute of staff dismissals, empower the institute to institute legal action against non-members and authorise it to conduct inspection visits to companies.
According to the President, such provisions impose unreasonable obligations on organisations, stressing that the institute is not the statutory regulator of public procurement in Nigeria and therefore cannot exercise those powers.
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He urged the National Assembly to review the contentious provisions and return the bill for fresh consideration.
Following the reading of the letter, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative work.
He directed the committee to review the President’s observations and report back to the Senate within two weeks.
Drafting Stalls Raw Materials Bill
Tinubu also declined assent to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026, citing shortcomings in the drafting of the legislation.
According to the President, the bill’s long title does not adequately reflect its objectives and contains drafting errors that should be corrected before it can be signed into law.
Akpabio subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business and asked the panel to submit its report within four weeks.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.