President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected 17 bills passed by the 8th National Assembly.

Mr Buhari, however, gave assent to nine other bills passed by the last National Assembly.

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Senate), Mr Ita Enang, disclosed this to journalists at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

He explained that the president decided not to communicate to the 9th Assembly on the rejection of the bills because it could not take any decision on the rejected bills.

Enang, however, promised to engage leadership of both chambers on the rationale behind the rejections of those bills.

He said the current National Assembly could not take action to override them because the law forbade the lawmakers to do so.

The nine bills assented to by president are: Police Trust Fund Act, Nigeria Natural Medicine Establishment Act, FCT Management Board and Health Insurance, Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Defence Bill, Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria Bill, National Institute of Construction Technology and Management (Establishment) bill.

Others are National Agricultural Seed Council bill, Agriculture Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment), and FCT Primary Healthcare Board.

He listed the bills refused assent as : Adeyemi Federal University of Education (Establishment) Bill, Federal University of Education Kano, Bill, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Bill, Federal University of Education Zaria, Bill, National Security Agencies Protection of Officers Identity Bill, Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency Bill, Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria Bill.

Others are: Industrial Development Income Tax Act Amendment Bill, Defence Research and Development Bureau Bill, Animal Diseases Control Bill, Good Samaritans Bill, Chattered Institute of Directors of Nigeria Bill, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Establishment Bill, and Federal University of Wukari (Establishment) Bill.

The rest are Warehouse Receipt and Other Related Matters Bill, Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Agency Bill, Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plant Fiscal Incentive and Guarantees Bill, Nigerian Film Commission Bill, and Proceeds of Crime Bill.

NAN