Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has lauded the National Assembly of earlier years for its independence and decisive role in lawmaking, particularly its ability to override presidential vetoes on important bills.
Jonathan made these comments during the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner held on Wednesday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, organized by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.
He received the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.
Looking back, Jonathan expressed his satisfaction with the swift passage and signing of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Bill, a law sponsored by Senator Lee Maeba of Rivers State and other lawmakers.
He described the National Assembly during that period as proactive and committed.
“When I was acting President in 2010, the National Assembly brought forward this bill, and I promptly signed it into law. We also moved quickly to set up the necessary regulatory body. Senator Lee Maeba and his team deserve commendation for their dedication. This was truly a time when the National Assembly demonstrated its constitutional authority,” Jonathan said.
He further cited the example of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill, which was passed into law despite initial rejection by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“In 2000, when President Obasanjo withheld assent on the NDDC bill, the National Assembly exercised its power to override the veto. Unlike in many other countries, where the President holds the final veto power, Nigeria’s constitution allows the legislature to enact a bill into law if the President fails to act within 30 days and a two-thirds majority vote is achieved,” he explained.
Jonathan ended by praising Senator Lee Maeba and his colleagues for their instrumental roles in these legislative milestones.