Why Nigerians should be concerned about quality legislation – DG NILDS

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has explained why Nigerians should be concerned about quality legislation, saying it is at the base of good governance. Prof. Sulaiman in this interview is of the view that given that budget preparation is vital to governance, the amount […]

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has explained why Nigerians should be concerned about quality legislation, saying it is at the base of good governance. Prof. Sulaiman in this interview is of the view that given that budget preparation is vital to governance, the amount of work that goes into it should be thorough, while the implementation should be closely monitored. He says that is why the focus on equipping legislators comes in the form of training so that the standard of legislation will be high for the benefit of the people. The former minister in the administration of Goodluck Jonathan also took time to explain why he was, for a long time, defending the former president after he lost power in 2015. He gave a glimpse into what he intends to do after his tenure expires, saying he believes he is now better equipped to govern his state, Kwara, having garnered much legislative and executive experience.

 

Read the full interview below:

Given the shoddy preparation and, most times, implementation of budgets over the years, many are of the view that the quality of legislation has not improved. Does that bother you?

It should bother every Nigerians. As part of our responsibilities, we don’t just provide technical assistance to the lawmakers in the areas of motion, bills, drafting, but to prepare briefs. 

When we observe certain things that we believe are not in tandem with the federal government’s plan or agenda. We try to call the attention of those in government, the legislature, even the executive to it by way of briefs.

We put up a brief to them, analyse those briefs and what the implication is if A and B are not done, and the consequences. When it is up to this, this might be the long-term implication, so we do much more; we don’t just sit down. On the basis of our own observation, findings and research, we come up with bills and data analysis, provide useful information to the political class, upon which we try to even monitor whether they are responding, and whatever the responses are, whether those responses are impacting on the larger environment.

 

In what areas will you say this has impacted on the quality of legislation in the country over the years? What has been the landmark legislation as a result of this?

Go back to the national assembly; go and look at the legacy report of that assembly. Substantial numbers of those bills and acts emanate from this institute; they did not emanate from the output or the input of consultants but from staff of this institute.

Monumentally, during the lockdown, we came up with a mechanism towards exiting lockdown. So, you cannot start quantifying the relevance or the importance of all these monetarily or astronomically in terms of figures. And that is why today, the Institute is not just an intellectual hub for the Nigerian legislature, but even for the West African legislature. Just last week, the Ghanaian people were here. Next week or so, we’re expecting the Liberians; the Somalis have been here on several occasions, Uganda. We have signed an MoU with the Republic of Benin for three years to train their parliamentary and parliamentary staff. I think we are starting next week or so. That is where we are today. So we are not just for the legacy of Nigeria. The Institute today has commenced in the last two and a half years what you call legislative drafting internship for young graduates, to groom young drafters in the country, because we observe the disposition of drafters in West Africa generally. We are the only ones in Nigeria that have been doing that in the last two and a half years. All these things are done by the in-house staff of this institute.

 

Immediately after the Buhari government took over, you were one of those that stood in defence of former President Goodluck Jonathan, under whom you served as minister. What was the experience like?

I was a minister just for one year, as Goodluck Jonathan’s government was terminated on account of the outcome of the 2015 election. As Minister of National Planning, I left after the Buhari government took over. 

Jonathan’s ministers were subjected to a lot of persecution. I think one remarkable thing I achieved was that, while everybody was trying to shy away from confronting the Buhari government, I put some things in proper perspective, as that government was trying to misrepresent and perhaps even portray the Jonathan government as a corrupt government trying to change some history by the likes of El-Rufai and Oshiomhole. 

I was trying to say, look, that was not the way. So, I was in loggerheads with the Buhari government again. So, the government of the day was not comfortable with that position. Efforts to silence me proved abortive. Eventually, I landed in detention. In 2016, they filed something against me, you know, what they call a phantom allegation.

In the celebrated case of Belgore and Suleiman, I was in detention for almost two weeks in Lagos, and that commenced another travail in court again, my second leg in court, which lasted for three and a half years.

Again, I was in court when I was appointed the DG of this place. Those are the parallels of my life.

 

What principle has guided your leadership?

 

You see, my philosophy is simple: when I believe in something I pursue it, regardless of resistance or challenges and discomfort. I’m always very steadfast, very focused, I’m very committed to anything I believe in it. So when I set for myself an agenda, I go for it.

 

I don’t look at all these centrifugal forces trying to pull people down. I remain focused, dogged, steadfast, and pursue it, regardless of what might go against me. Because ultimately, either you pull me down or don’t pull me down, either you support me, don’t support me. I believe what God has destined for me will come to pass.

 

 

 

What advice would you offer to current and aspiring public servants on ethical leadership and the true essence of national service?

 

As a public servant, let us do the right thing while in service. We must be daring enough to do the right thing regardless of the position we found our self. You must uphold national interest. Nigeria project should be top most of your primary focus. We should all be guided by the nitty gritty of national the national value. As a public servant, you are under a lot of pressure, from home, work place, family and friends, a lot of interferences but the guiding philosophy is what ever take off stage should be in the interest of the nation. If it’s not in the interest of the country, don’t do it, regardless of what people will say. That is why if you look at my travails, I have problem with people at the tops, because some of us are very daring just to do what is right.

 

 

 

What are the reflections and emotions you will like to share with us and our readers, throughout these years.

 

I think the most important thing, first, to me, is to see such a mileage of milestone as a God given endowment is a rear gift from God which is not easy to come by. And as such, give thanks to God, for we know that life for us to have covered such a mileage in life to me, that’s the most important thing first, not everybody that were born the same time live up to that age.So when you have such a rare gift from God, I think it’s just normal to applaud God, glorify Him, thank him, appreciate him. And it’s not just spending such a year in life that is important, that you spend such years in life with remarkable success and accomplishments. People have lived for 60, 70 years, but when you ask the questions of what relevant, how have they utilized those years, they have nothing to say. So I thank God.

 

And therefore, going back to the questions of reflection, it has been a very a monumental journey. It has been very you know, rewarding, very remarkable, growing up as a child, passing through hurdles of education institutions from primary secondary, university, starting or been opportune to be endowed with the capacity to lead, the gut, God given attributes, leadership attributes from secondary school you know, started, from a main leader of a religious organization, cultural organization, a union leader in the university, dabbling into partisan politics at a stage in hurdles of trying to make ends meet after university education, carrying load on my head to sell at the Jos main market, the hurdles of trying to, you know, to survive, contest for elections, local government election in the early 90s, and at the point, three days to the primary the military struck, shattered your hope and aspiration; trying to get back to the academia again to complete your masters, coming out of the masters, having obtained your degree; just looking for Job, and at this stage, you had an uncle that asked you to come and head his outfit in Abuja. And one year after that, that uncle died, you have no where to go again, lucky enough to have saved by a former lecturer of mine who asked me to do part time work while I am doing my PhD. I started the part time work, and did the PhD for six years against four years or three years, not because you are not hard working, but because they believe you shouldn’t graduate. Few years of your starting the PhD that same lecturer of yours, your mentor without a penny to yourself, driving from Maitama to Gwagwalada every day and, you also a lecturer without a penny. And I know that this life we are talking about I had the opportunity of teaching people governance. I could recall that the former governor of Kogi state Ibraham Idris was my student, Natasha was my student, some senators like Olujimi and the rest were my students.

 

As at today, I have five students in Senate. I taught all these senators when I was a part time lecturer and not getting paid. And at the time I was part-time lecturer in the same department, rather than confirming my appointment, they were bringing in some other people from other places, you know, ethnic dissents, because they believe I’m not part of them.

 

 

 

Having been a politician would it be correct to say you’re on suspension from politics for now?

 

I want to be remembered as a teacher, already I am missing the class. Although, my next move is to go back to politics, and that will not take time. Very soon, I will be back to politics and my next move is to lead my state, all things been equal.

 

At least now, with the work I do here, I have knowledge of parliamentary practices, through my interaction with legislature. I observe it is one enterprise you must learn. Even if you are a professor, you must still learn it. So, if I am not here, even as a professor of a Political Science, I wouldn’t have known anything, like the parliamentary procedure and how it works, the politics, intrigues in the parliamentary palace and the enormous power so to speak and how the executives could impeach on that power.

 

For instance, I can’t be the governor of my state now and the relationship with the legislature will be a problem for me. If I have gotten it in 2019 perhaps, it could have taken me years to understand but now, I have mastered it. I’m relating with quite a lot of parliamentarians at the sub-national level in Nigeria. I’m relating with Senators and members of the House of Representatives; I’ve become part of them. So, I’ve learnt a moment of executive by being a minister and I have now grappled with that of legislature and I’ve been so much with the judiciary by the virtue of being the DG of NILDS, I think I am total, I am absolute, I possessed the rudimentary knowledge to navigate the murky water of administration at the state level. Nobody in my state – Kwara have such loaded attribute as me.