Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan reminisced about a time when the National Assembly truly embodied its role as a robust check on the executive, highlighting its capacity to override presidential vetoes on crucial legislation.
Speaking at the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Jonathan, who received the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award, specifically cited the passage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Bill in 2010. He credited Senator Lee Maeba and his colleagues for their efforts, noting that he promptly signed the bill into law as acting president due to the National Assembly’s proactive and dynamic nature.
Jonathan further underscored the Assembly’s strength by recalling the passage of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill in 2000. Despite President Olusegun Obasanjo’s initial reluctance and veto, the National Assembly, with a two-thirds majority, successfully overrode the presidential decision, ensuring the bill became law.
“In other countries, it is the President who vetoes bills. But in Nigeria, during the law-making process, it is the National Assembly that can exercise the veto,” Jonathan explained. He elaborated on the constitutional provision, stating that if a president withholds assent for 30 days, the National Assembly can reconvene and, with a two-thirds headcount majority, enact the bill into law without presidential assent.
Jonathan concluded by commending Senator Lee Maeba and his team for their contributions during this period of a truly vibrant National Assembly.
Truly Vibrant: Jonathan Commends Previous National Assembly for Overriding Executive Vetoes
