The director-general, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman has said the country still has a long way to go in achieving true dividends of democracy.
Sulaiman who spoke while addressing journalists at the institute’s headquarters in Abuja to mark his six years stewardship and 26 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country, however said democracy had come to stay in the country.
The former minister of national planning said there were some elements hindering true pictures of democracy in the country such as poverty, insecurity and challenges of gender, youth and people living with disabilities inclusivity.
The director general said the institute had not relented in supporting the Nigerian legislature through bill drafting, policy analysis, motions, bill analysis and issue briefs for enhanced quality lawmaking.
Sulaiman said NILDS transformed its platform for supporting legislators by migrating to its online
‘LegiPro’ platform this year, which replaced the manual system of legislators submitting requests to NILDS with an artificial intelligence platform.
He said NILDS had been supporting the National Assembly in carrying out its oversight function, especially in the area of security through the tracking of security issues and sending to the apex legislature to enhance legislative interventions.
He announced plans by the institute to train local government lawmakers – councilors, council chairmen as well as procurement officers at the third tier of government to ensure accountability and deepen democracy.
“Nigeria still has a long way in terms of achieving true dividends of democracy. There is general view that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria but there are some elements that is hindering true pictures of democracy. That is why as an institution we are having synergy with the Nigeria Governors Forum and ALGON executives to train local government chairmen and councilors to reach the grassroots people.
“They are the democratic actors and institutions expected to deliver on development, security, economic prosperity and national unity to put an end to the lingering threats of insecurity, unemployment and poverty among the masses,” he stated.
