From Fred Itua, Abuja
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies ( NILDS), under the supervision of the National Assembly, said it has all it takes to transform into a full fledged university in no distant time.
Director-General of the Institute, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman stated this in Abuja at the premises of Democracy Radio and Legislative Centre for Security Analysis, established by the Institute in and billed for commissioning, Wednesday.
Sulaiman said the permanent site of the Institute sitting on 8.12 hectares (81,200m2) of land in Piwoyi District along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road Abuja, has infrastructural structures and facilities, many of the licensed Private Universities in the country cannot boast of.
He said: “What are needed for University , are already available at the Institute . What is required now , is the Political will for the transformation into University for Legislative Studies.”
The former Minister of National Planning, added that the permanent site as seen by newsmen during the pre – commissioning inspection , will be occupied immediately after the commissioning.
According to him, Democracy Radio established by the Institute as an independent body, is basically to educate Nigerians on Legislative Procedures, Practices and Democracy generally .
He explained: “Democracy Radio as envisioned , is to serve as nexus between Parliament and the People and practically serves as disseminating unit to Nigerians about Democracy.
“The Radio station is going to be on its own , operationally . It will not be a quasi establishment directly under another one.
“When fully operational after commissioning , it will have more information than any other Radio station in Nigeria going by the resources and facilities that will be at the disposal of management and staff , one of which is the standardized website already provided for it.”
The NILDS boss further noted that the Centre for Security Analysis established by the Institute , primarily aims at providing required solutions for myriad of security challenges facing the country.
The Centre he explained, will synergise with the various security outfits in the country on critical dissection of the problems at hand and lasting solutions for them by way of legislation, policy formulation and implementation.
