Former President Goodluck Jonathan has commended previous sessions of Nigeria’s National Assembly for demonstrating independence and boldness by overriding presidential vetoes to pass critical legislation.
Jonathan made the remarks on Wednesday evening at the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner, hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he was honoured with the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award.
Reflecting on his time as Acting President in 2010, Jonathan recalled signing the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Bill into law—legislation he described as a significant achievement made possible by a “dynamic legislature.”
“When I was acting President in 2010, and the National Assembly presented the bill, I promptly signed it and we quickly established a monitoring body,” he said.
“Someone like Lee Maeba, the bill’s originator, and his group also deserve recognition. That was a period when the National Assembly truly lived up to its name.”
Jonathan further cited the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act of 2000 as another example of legislative assertiveness. He recounted how lawmakers at the time overrode the refusal of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo to assent to the bill, demonstrating that the legislature had the will to act in the nation’s interest.
“In 2000, the NDDC bill was also vetoed by the National Assembly. They overrode President Obasanjo’s refusal,” he explained.
“Typically, 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. If the President does not assent to a bill within 30 days, the National Assembly can reconvene and, with a two-thirds majority calculated by headcount, not voice vote, enact the bill into law.”
Jonathan concluded his remarks by lauding the legislature’s role in deepening Nigeria’s democratic processes and called for continued commitment to strong, independent institutions.
“That is how the NDDC Act came into being, thanks to a truly vibrant National Assembly. I would like to use this opportunity to commend Lee Maeba and his team.”
