African Leadership Strategy and Transparency for Development Initiative (ALSDI) has alerted Nigerians to the constitutional importance of the Bill for the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Digital Forensics of Nigeria.
 
As a civil society organisation committed to accountability, transparency, and good governance, ALSDI noted that the bill was transmitted to the President through the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, with a covering letter dated February 23, 2026, and received by the Presidency on February 25, 2026.
 
In a statement signed by the Executive Director and Convener, ALSDI, Nelson Ossaieze, the group, however, noted that by the provision of Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the President shall, within 30 days of receiving a bill, signify or withhold assent. It pointed out that by the provision, the constitutional period for presidential action expired on March 25, 2026.

“This position is clear, definitive, and not open to manipulation or administrative discretion. The bill in question is now statute-barred. Any attempt to grant assent outside the constitutionally prescribed timeframe would amount to a direct violation of the Constitution and a dangerous precedent for executive overreach,” the group clarified.
 
ALSTDI expressed concern over reports indicating that certain bill promoters were seeking to bypass due process and influence the assent process, despite the expiration of the constitutional timeline.   Even more disturbing, it noted, were reports that these actors had expressed confidence that assent would be secured irrespective of the clear legal position.
 
The statement read: “Such conduct is unacceptable. It undermines the authority of the Constitution and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.
 
ALSTDI urged President Bola Tinubu, as a leader who understands the weight of constitutional responsibility and the necessity of upholding democratic principles, to remain a guardian of the Constitution and not an avenue for legitimising procedural violations.