Buhari declines assent to five bills

President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to five bills passed by the National Assembly.

They are the Nigeria Film Commission Bill 2018; Climate Change Bill 2018; Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2018; Chartered Institute of Pension Practitioners of Nigeria Bill 2018; and Digital Rights and Freedom Bill 2018.

President Buhari said he relied on Section 58 (4) of the Constitution (as amended) to convey to the Senate his decision on March 5, 2019, declining Presidential assent to the Nigeria Film Commission Bill 2018.

The memo read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said the President declined assent because Section 1(3) (d) & (e) conflicts with Section 2 (a) (i), (ii) and (c) of the National Film and Video Censors Board Act, which confers functions in relation to film exhibition on the National Film and Video Censors Board.

The memo also said Section 7 (1) (k), which states that one per cent of proceeds for television licence from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) shall be paid into a fund to be controlled by the National Film Commission was in conflict with Section 16 (1) of the National Broadcasting Commission Act, which stipulates the purpose for which expenditure generated by NBC may be used.

It said Section 7 (2) (d), which proposes to divert five per cent of VAT on all film-related activity to the National Film Development Fund violated Section 40 of the Value Added Tax Act and the sharing formula prescribed therein, because it diverts funds normally distributed to the states to a single federal institution.

Reasons for the refusal of assent to the other four bills were also given.