Group chastises DG National Legislative Institute over comment on Kwara lawmakers

A pro-democracy group, Kwara Society For Human Rights and Social Justice, has berated the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, over his recent comment on members of the Kwara State House of Assembly.

The group in a press release issued by its Secretary, Barr. Usman Aliyu, described Prof. Suleiman’s utterances as immature and unguarded, adding his jibe betrays a man struggling for relevance and fighting a proxy war for former Senate President Bukola Saraki who is his godfather.

Suleiman had at an event organised by his institute taken swipe at members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, calling them strangers to legislative processes and procedures for not attending capacity-building workshops organised by his institute.

However in their press release, Kwara Society For Human Rights and Social Justice said the lawmakers were at a liberty to choose what capacity-building workshops or trainings to attend, stating Suleiman’s grouse is misguided and hypocritical.

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“Prof. Abubakar is fast becoming a meddlesome interloper with his recent unguided actions. We recall his recent insult to the Emir and the Ilorin Emirate leadership too in the name of playing politics. Prof. Suleiman is not expected to be partisan in the role he’s serving in. He should be a professional and expert. We urge him to start living to that bill because his past activities are a glaring departure from professionalism. He has made himself a willing tool for gutter and partisan fights.

“We see no sensible reason in dragging members of the Kwara State House of Assembly over their not attending capacity-building workshops organised by him. We hold that the lawmakers are at a liberty to choose what capacity-building workshops or trainings they attend. We are very much aware that our lawmakers in Kwara State have attended several workshops to develop their capacities. So far, they have performed excellently and discharged their responsibilities effectively. The quality of legislations they have churned out in the past years is absolutely not in doubt.

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“Whereas, our findings also show that this same Prof. Suleiman is notorious for organising shabby and ridiculous trainings. He has been alleged of always sacrificing standards in order to siphon funds. We therefore do not see any harm in members of Kwara State House of Assembly boycotting his ridiculous workshops. Why did Suleiman not attack members of other states’ assemblies? Why did he single out Kwara State for attack when his so-called capacity-building workshop was only attended by two states (Bauchi and Plateau) out of the 36 states in the country? The attendance is a reflection of the quality of his capacity training workshops.

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The group also noted allegations surrounding the neck of the NILDS DG where he reportedly organised a training doling out a ridiculous amount of N2,500 to each lawmaker as allowance despite the huge amounts usually budgeted for such trainings.

It added that Professor Abubakar had also been indicted during his stint at the University of Abuja for engaging in academic malpractices and untoward acts including sales of certificate.

“This big indictment which came in form of petition almost cost him his confirmation for minister position until Senator Bukola Saraki intervened following the plea of Hajiah Muinat Bola Shagaya. The indictment was therefore downplayed and Abubakar went on to become minister. We have not forgotten this story of him. We advise him to guard his utterances and stop being an errand boy at his age.”