ALSDI Urges Tinubu to Reject Statute-Barred Bill

The African Leadership Strategy Development Initiative (ALSDI), represented by Executive Director Comrade Nelson Ossaiez, has called on President Bola Tinubu not to assent to a statute-barred bill that seeks to establish a charter for a digital forensics institute in Nigeria. During a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Ossaiez highlighted that the bill was transmitted to the President's office by the Clerk of the National Assembly on February 23, 2026, and received by the President on February 25, 2026.

According to Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, the President must act on the bill within 30 days, with the deadline for assent or withholding set for March 25, 2026. Ossaiez expressed concerns that granting assent outside the constitutional timeframe would violate the Constitution and undermine public trust in democratic institutions.

The bill faces significant opposition from various stakeholders within Nigeria's security and anti-corruption frameworks, raising questions about its credibility and alignment with national interests. The ALSDI urged the President to reject the bill and return it to the National Assembly for a fresh legislative process.