In his assessment of the 26 years of unbroken democratic governance in Nigeria, the Director – General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) , Professor Abubakar Sulaiman declared in Abuja Thursday that is not that bad for the country .
The DG NILDS who stated this during presentation of scorecards of his stewardship in office within the last six years to journalists , hinted that the capacity – building Institute will in the nearest future , transform into University for Democracy and Legislative Studies ( UDLS) .
Responding to question on how democracy and its key players have fared over the years vis a vis , the effort of the Institute in making the National Assembly more responsive to needs of Nigerians via required legislations , Professor Sulaiman said generally generally it has not been that bad for Nigeria in the practice of democracy but it still has a long way to go .
” It has not been that bad for the National Assembly and democratic system generally in the country in terms of conducts of the key players at different times particularly at the National Assembly from the beginning in 1999 to the present 10th National Assembly .
” However, the country still has a long way to go in the area of gender inclusivity, youth involvement in governance as well as involvement of physically challenged citizens .
“We cannot continue to celebrate democracy when key segments of our society — women, young people, persons with disabilities — remain structurally excluded from governance.
“What we are practicing is far from the inclusive democracy we claim” , he said .
Focusing on the legislative arm of government which to him , symbolizes democracy itself , the DG NILDS said the Institute is through its capacity – enhancement programmes for democratic actors , making them more responsive to the needs of constituents .
“Legislation without knowledge leads to policy failure. That’s why we at NILDS are producing monthly Trust Situation Reports on security and undertaking strategic research to support the work of lawmakers,” he said.
He disclosed that the Institute is set to launch the first-ever Manual on Security Sector Oversight, providing lawmakers with a structured tool for interrogating and evaluating Nigeria’s security architecture.
“Our democracy is not just about elections; it’s about institutions, inclusion, and integrity. Until we see deliberate reforms in these areas, democratic dividends will remain a distant dream for most Nigerians”, he posited .
He added that NILDS will in the near future , transformed into a University for Education and Legislative Studies since required infrastructure and facilities are largely on ground .
He reeled out his achievements within the last six years to include reengineering of the Institute from a modest support agency into a national powerhouse for legislative training, democratic research, and public policy innovation.
Establishment of Democracy Radio 104.9 and youth civic programs, to championing the Legislative Mentorship Initiative and opening the Institute’s Gender Unit etc .
“This isn’t just a record of performance. It is a story of resilience, reinvention, and recommitment to the democratic process in Nigeria and beyond”, he said .