…Praises institute’s growth

President of the Senate,Godswill Akpabio, has commended the management of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for transforming the institute into a leading centre for legislative capacity building and democratic governance, while proposing that it take over the orientation of newly elected federal lawmakers from 2027.

Akpabio made the remarks on Thursday while presiding over a meeting of the Governing Board of NILDS at the institute’s headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who serves as Alternate Chairman of the governing board, alongside other members of the council and the institute’s management team.

The Senate President said the institute had continued to justify the vision behind its establishment through its expanding academic programmes, research activities and training initiatives designed to strengthen legislative institutions across Nigeria.

According to him, the impact of the institute is becoming increasingly evident through its postgraduate programmes and partnerships with universities, as well as its growing role in enhancing the capacity of legislators and parliamentary staff.

“The essence of creating this institute is being realised,” Akpabio said, noting that NILDS has evolved into a centre of excellence for legislative studies and democratic development.

He particularly praised the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, and his management team for sustaining training programmes and refresher courses for lawmakers and parliamentary personnel.

Encouraged by the institute’s progress, Akpabio proposed that NILDS should henceforth be responsible for organising induction programmes for newly elected Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

Recalling the orientation exercise conducted for lawmakers elected in 2023, he argued that the institute now possesses the facilities and expertise necessary to host future induction programmes.

“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.

The Senate President urged members of the governing board to consider adopting a formal resolution to that effect ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, holding the induction programme at NILDS would not only expose incoming lawmakers to the institute’s resources but would also further strengthen its visibility and reputation as the nation’s foremost legislative training institution.

Akpabio also expressed satisfaction with the maintenance of the institute’s headquarters, describing the facility as one of the best-managed public institutions in the country.

“When I came in, I was quite impressed by 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 said.

Earlier, Professor Suleiman briefed members of the governing board on the institute’s activities and achievements, highlighting efforts aimed at deepening legislative competence and democratic governance.

He explained that NILDS was established to strengthen the capacity of legislators at the federal, state and regional levels through research, training and policy support services.

According to him, the institute has expanded significantly in recent years and now operates 12 departments, including a radio station dedicated to legislative and democratic education.

The Director-General further disclosed that NILDS has strengthened collaborations with several higher institutions, including University of Benin, University of Abuja and Federal University Lokoja, among others.

He said the partnerships have enabled the institute to broaden its academic offerings while contributing to the development of a new generation of legislative and governance experts.

The board meeting reviewed the institute’s activities, ongoing programmes and future plans aimed at consolidating NILDS’ position as a leading legislative research and training institution in Africa.