Jonathan recalls era of vibrant legislature, commends role in Nigerian content law

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has praised the National Assembly of the early and late 2000s, describing it as a dynamic institution that demonstrated legislative independence by overriding presidential vetoes and driving impactful reforms.

Jonathan made the remarks on Wednesday evening during the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards Dinner, hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The former president was honored with the Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the advancement of local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Reflecting on his time in office, Jonathan recounted his swift endorsement of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Bill in 2010 while serving as Acting President. The bill, sponsored by Senator Lee Maeba and others, led to the establishment of the NCDMB—a milestone Jonathan attributed to a proactive and visionary legislature.

“When the National Assembly brought the bill to me in 2010, I didn’t hesitate to sign it,” Jonathan recalled. “We moved quickly to set up a monitoring board. Senator Lee Maeba and his colleagues deserve credit for championing that legislation. That was a time when the National Assembly truly lived up to its name.”

Jonathan also pointed to an earlier example from 2000 to highlight the Assembly’s assertiveness: the passage of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act, despite initial opposition from then-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“The NDDC bill was vetoed by the president, but the National Assembly didn’t back down,” Jonathan said. “They overrode the veto and passed the bill into law with a two-thirds majority. That kind of boldness is what shapes strong democracies.”

In a brief civics lesson, Jonathan reminded attendees that while many countries emphasize presidential veto power, Nigeria’s constitution also empowers the National Assembly to override such vetoes, if done through a two-thirds majority vote by headcount.

“That is how the NDDC Act came into existence. It wasn’t just a political maneuver, it was a reflection of legislative courage and commitment,” he added.

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