Akpabio hails NILDS achievements, seeks bigger role for institute ahead of 2027 elections

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has commended the management of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies for effectively delivering on its mandate of enhancing legislative capacity and promoting democratic governance in Nigeria.

Akpabio gave the commendation on Thursday while presiding over a meeting of the Governing Board of NILDS at the institute’s headquarters along the Airport Road in Abuja. The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who serves as the alternate chairman of the board.

The Senate President specifically lauded the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, and his management team for their commitment to capacity building and professional development within the legislature.

According to Akpabio, the institute has successfully created opportunities for legislators to undergo refresher courses and acquire the knowledge required to enhance their legislative responsibilities.

He noted that the vision behind the establishment of NILDS is steadily being realized, citing the institute’s expanding academic programmes, including postgraduate and doctoral studies conducted in partnership with several Nigerian universities.

“The essence of creating this institute is being realised,” Akpabio said, expressing satisfaction with the progress made by the institution in advancing legislative education and research.

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The Senate President also welcomed reports that the institute has commenced specialized training programmes for staff of the National Assembly. He subsequently proposed that NILDS should take over the responsibility of organizing orientation and induction programmes for newly elected lawmakers after the 2027 general elections.

Recalling the induction programme held for lawmakers following the 2023 elections, Akpabio said the facilities at NILDS are more than adequate to host future orientation exercises for incoming senators and members of the House of Representatives.

“When we came in 2023, the induction course that we had was at the NAF Centre. I’m sure for new Senators-elect and Members-elect, this place is befitting enough for us to use for the induction course for the incoming parliament,” he said.

He urged members of the governing board to consider adopting a resolution that would make NILDS the permanent venue for induction programmes after future elections.

According to him, such a move would not only expose newly elected legislators to the institute’s resources and facilities but would also enhance the institution’s visibility and prestige.

Akpabio further commended the management of NILDS for the effective maintenance of its headquarters, describing the facility as impressive and well-kept.

“When I came in, I was quite impressed about the maintenance of this edifice. Maintenance of a facility like this is not easy. For you and your management team, Professor Suleiman, I think you have done the job well,” he stated.

Earlier in his presentation to the board, Professor Suleiman provided an update on the institute’s activities and achievements.

He explained that NILDS was established primarily to strengthen the capacity of legislators at both the federal and sub-national levels, while also extending support to legislative institutions across the West African sub-region.

The Director-General disclosed that the institute has expanded significantly and now operates 12 departments, including a radio station dedicated to legislative and democratic education.

He also revealed that NILDS has developed strategic partnerships with several tertiary institutions, including University of Benin, University of Abuja, and Federal University Lokoja, among others.

Suleiman reiterated the institute’s commitment to supporting legislative excellence through research, training, academic programmes, and policy development initiatives aimed at strengthening democratic institutions in Nigeria and beyond.