Tinubu sends two executive bills to Reps, declines assent to two amendment bills

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded two significant executive bills to the House of Representatives, signaling key legislative priorities for his administration. These proposals focus on enhancing the country's educational framework and modernizing its legal system.

The first bill, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to bolster the administration and governance of public senior secondary education nationwide. President Tinubu indicated that this bill, approved by the Federal Executive Council, is part of his administration's commitment to strengthening educational institutions.

Concurrently, the President transmitted the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026. This legislation aims to replace the existing Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, with a new framework designed to tackle procedural, legal, and institutional challenges within Nigeria's criminal justice system. The proposed law intends to improve efficiency, protect societal safety, and safeguard the rights of all parties involved.

Key reforms within the criminal justice bill include measures to expedite trials, such as abolishing trial-within-trial for confessional statements and introducing mandatory timelines for no-case submissions. It also proposes the establishment of a National Sex Offenders Register and a Witness Support Fund, alongside wider use of written witness depositions and enhanced judicial case management. These reforms address persistent issues like delays in investigations and prosecutions, inadequate technology deployment, and weak coordination among justice sector institutions.

In addition to these proposals, President Tinubu withheld assent from two amendment bills previously passed by the National Assembly, indicating a selective approach to legislative action.