The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, has stressed the need for political office holders to undergo formal training in democratic studies for enhancement of good governance at all levels.
Barau stated this when he hosted the Director General of The Progressives Institute, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, and his management team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
He pledged that the Senate would support TPI, which was established by the current leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its task of providing training to emerging young Nigerians on democracy.
Barau said being a beneficiary of a similar American institute established by the National Democratic Party, alongside many federal lawmakers, he would ensure that the Red Chamber provided the necessary support to make the progressive institute succeed.
He said, “I was one of those that witnessed the unveiling of the Institute. And I’m one of the admirers and supporters of this Institute and what it stands for. I am doing this wholeheartedly for several reasons.
“One of the reasons, of course, is that I’m a beneficiary of a similar Institute from a foreign land. And since I went for a training programme at that Institute, I’ve been praying that we have a similar body in Nigeria.
“So, when I heard the news through the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje), that this Institute was coming on board, I was delighted.
“This is because I remember about 26 years ago, when I won the election to represent my constituency in the House of Representatives in the Fourth Republic.
“We were invited by the National Democratic Institute of the United States. Which is a similar body owned by the Democratic Party of the United States.
“That Institute decided to come here to give us intensive training. Respect on how to go into the legislature of this country because at that time, there was a gap.”