President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that he will not sign the Central Gaming Bill into law, emphasizing that lottery and gaming regulation falls under the jurisdiction of state governments, not the federal government.

The President made this declaration while addressing leaders at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja. He warned proponents of the bill to desist from further action, stressing that he knows “where my constitutional powers start and where they end” and describing himself as a “constitutional democrat.”

The Central Gaming Bill, passed by both chambers of the National Assembly in December, seeks to give the federal government authority to regulate lotteries and gaming nationwide. However, state governments and legal experts have challenged the bill, citing a Supreme Court judgment which affirms that gaming and lottery matters are exclusively within the powers of state governments.

President Tinubu’s refusal underscores his commitment to uphold constitutional limits on federal authority and to protect state autonomy in gaming regulation.