President Bola Tinubu has declined to sign the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025 into law, citing constitutional and financial concerns over proposed changes to how proceeds from drug-related crimes are handled.

The President’s decision was conveyed in a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives during plenary on Thursday.

In the letter, Tinubu referenced Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to justify his refusal, stating that the bill’s provision allowing the NDLEA to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug-related offences contradicts existing financial regulations.

He explained that, under the current legal and financial framework, “All proceeds of crime are paid into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. Disbursements to any recovery agency, including the NDLEA, can only be made by presidential approval, subject to the consent of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.”

The President added that there was no compelling justification to revise a system designed to ensure transparency and uphold accountability through joint executive and legislative oversight.