NILDS D-G lauds 10th NASS’ performance
By EricJames Ochigbo
The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has rated the performance of the 10th National Assembly highly in terms of bills, motions, and parliamentary conduct.
Sulaiman made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during a news conference marking the second anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his own sixth anniversary as D-G of NILDS.
Responding to questions from journalists, he said Nigeria’s democracy and parliament had shown notable progress, although there remained room for improvement, especially regarding security and economic growth.
“The assessment of the National Assembly in the context of our democratic journey has been positive.
“When you compare where we were in the 1960s and in 1999 to where we are today, the progress is clear. While challenges persist, the ethical conduct of the National Assembly has improved significantly.
“Considering the various instabilities we have faced since 1999, the level of accommodation for parliamentary views and the conduct of parliamentarians in both chambers show that the National Assembly has performed well.
“In terms of the quality and quantity of bills and motions, and the harmony within the chambers, the current performance is unmatched by previous assemblies.
“Their awareness of national issues and the legislative responses to these challenges have been commendable,” he added.
Speaking on the achievements of NILDS over the past six years, Sulaiman said that upon his appointment in May 2019, he prioritised staff welfare, addressing stagnation and revising the institute’s education policy to promote academic advancement for all staff.
He noted that the institute’s academic board was reconstituted to ensure inclusivity and elevate academic standards.
“Another milestone under his leadership was the move to the institute’s permanent site, completed in 2023, which includes a 300-seat capacity hall.
“To support staff career progression, the operational manual of NILDS was enhanced with the expansion of departments.
“Welfare initiatives also included the launch of a crèche for pregnant and nursing staff, reflecting the institute’s commitment to gender inclusivity.”
Sulaiman highlighted NILDS’s establishment of a Gender Unit and the hosting of a national conference on Women in Governance to promote inclusive governance.
According to him, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while many institutions saw a decline in output, NILDS introduced e-platforms to maintain continuous operations and prepared the country for post-pandemic reopening.
He also spoke about the creation of Democracy Radio (104.9 FM) to extend democratic awareness and grassroots engagement across Nigeria.
“To bolster security efforts, NILDS established the Legislative Centre for Security Analysis, which supports non-kinetic approaches through research and intellectual engagement.”
Sulaiman also shared that the NILDS annual quiz competition, previously limited to the Federal Capital Territory, had expanded nationwide to all 36 states to deepen secondary school students’ knowledge of legislative and democratic processes.
“The institute also launched the Distinguished Parliamentary Lecture Series to enhance public understanding of the legislature through scholarly presentations.
“To improve legislative quality, NILDS introduced a mentorship programme for legislative drafters and expanded partnerships with democratic institutions to strengthen gender-related legislative engagement at the subnational level.”
The D-G noted NILDS’s active role in observing the 2023 general elections, which contributed valuable insights to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“In addition, NILDS published a book commemorating 25 years of democratic governance in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.”
Sulaiman emphasised that all academic departments now had their own journals alongside the flagship Nigerian Journal for Legislative Affairs (NJLA).
Looking ahead, he expressed his vision for NILDS to become a university dedicated to advancing Nigeria’s democracy through knowledge and research.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Wale Sadeeq
Published By
- Senior Editor
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