The Director – General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, declared Monday that the Institute is ever ready for high turnover of federal lawmakers at the National Assembly after any general election.
Professor Sulaiman who stated this to journalists at the sideline of Capacity – Building Workshop for non – academic staffers of the Institute held at Wells Carton Hotel Abuja, said such challenge is what the Institute is created to confront from time to time in terms of training.
“As the 2023 general elections are approaching , there is the high possibility of high turnover of Federal lawmakers at the National Assembly as it has been the case since 2003 , which NILDS is well prepared for in terms of capacity building trainings for newly elected lawmakers.
“Such high turnovers have never been a challenge to NILDS at any time since it is a body fundamentally saddled with responsibility of training key players in the legislative arm of government,” he said.
He however posited that the periodic high turnovers will gradually fizzle out in subsequent elections after the 2023 one as the practice of democracy gets more rooted in the country especially with provisions of the 2022 electoral Act .
On the Capacity – Building Workshop being held for non – academic staff of the Institute , Professor Sulaiman said as trainers , need to well trained as well since nobody can give what he or she doesn’t have.
“The academic staff of the Institute , had their own training last year and the one being held for non – academic staff today , is the first of its Kind in the Institute.
“This is different from overseas training from which 90% staff of the Institute has benefitted from,” said.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks at the capacity – building workshop, commended NILDS for living up to its mandate as far as trainings for lawmakers, their aides, staffers of National Assembly and the Institute are concerned.
