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Let me begin with a quote by Joko Beck (1917-2011) — “We have self-centered minds which get us into plenty of troubles. if we do not come to understand the error in the way we think, our self-awareness, which is our greatest blessing, is also our downfall.” Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, the Director General of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS has continued to lack self-awareness whenever he is given the microphone to speak especially on legislative matters, one would think being the DG of NILDS since 2019, should have reshaped his mindset about the responsibility that comes with that office, more so that he is academia and expected to have the temperament and carriage of such office.
It is however bemusing that, after four years in office, Prof. Suleiman who sometimes ago said he has quit active politics is playing politics now, more than ever as against his conviction and the code of conduct of the office he presently occupies.
I must say that Prof. Suleiman’s fixation on the Tenth Kwara Legislature is truly astounding. It’s almost as if he has nothing better to do with his time than obsess over every little detail about it.
Yesterday’s outburst and unnecessary attack on the Kwara Assembly, calling them unprintable names because he, out of over 3 million Kwarans is not pleased with the friendly relationship between the Executive and Legislature or because he was acting a script. We know the game, we know the plan but we have a piece of bad news for you, Prof, it will not work! Kwarans are the major beneficiaries of this relationship because they are enjoying the dividends of democracy through it.
In June, this year, in one of the NILDS’s workshops where he was supposed to be busy with legislative training, he had this to say about Kwara Assembly –
“We have invited them twice without any of the invitations honoured by them yet; many of them are strangers to legislative processes and procedures.”
This was after you had unbottled a series of eulogies and showered praises on the Kwara Assembly in December, 2021.
“The NILDS DG spoke at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop organized by NILDS for members of Kwara State House of Assembly in Ilorin Wednesday.
Prof. Sulaiman affirmed that the relationship between the two arms of government in the state has not only been cordial, but productive.
According to him, “the executive-legislative relationship has not undermined the independence of the Assembly as an embodiment of the common will of the people. Little wonder that the state remains the most peaceful state in northern Nigeria.
The achievements of the State Assembly are, in part due to the harmonious intergovernmental relations, which have resulted in people-oriented legislation. For example, the Assembly passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law to address the challenge of domestic violence and other socio-cultural and political issues in the state.”
Objective-minded people will read your latest comment on the Assembly and ask themselves if the DG of NILDS is suffering from amnesia or he’s just a political opportunist whose commentary is tied to his pocket and political ambition. How do you explain that the DG of NILDS only commends the Kwara State Assembly when he’s patronized?
Just two months ago, the Kwara Assembly had a two-day retreat at the instance of UN Women in Nigeria in conjunction with NILDS, yet the DG calls forth the Kwara Assembly to come to him for lessons on legislative matters. Please, Mr. Teacher, “Teacher don’t teach me nonsense”, apologies to the legendary Fela Anikulapo. Twice, you have had the opportunity to ‘teach’ the Assembly, twice, you have failed to impact any knowledge by your admittance!
How well have you done the exact thing you are ‘crying’ about In your capacity as DG of NILDS? Or how well have the so-called legislative trainings that you are bragging about yielded fruitful results? What impact has it had on the imbroglio and impasse on Rivers, Edo, and other states that have crisis with their legislative arm? Instead, you have turned the NILDS into a cash cow and money-making venture junketing around using taxpayers’ money without meaningful takeaways and benefits derived from them. Only God knows the sufferings some constituents have passed through since the crisis began in Rivers State House of Assembly, ditto to Edo state, we will never allow you to set The Executive and Legislature up in Kwara State!
I can’t help but wonder what exactly has led you to become so low and fixated, the attempt to launch yourself into the political equation in Kwara State is well noted or don’t you think we know? But let us tell you something, Prof. Suleiman, this fixation of yours is not only unhealthy but also incredibly tiresome for those around you. It’s as if you have blinders on, unable to see anything else in the world except for the Danladi-led Kwara Assembly.
So, Prof. Suleiman, I implore you to let go of this fixation and start living your own life. Stop wasting your time and energy on something that will never bring you true fulfillment. Embrace the freedom that comes with releasing yourself from the chains of obsession, and you might just find a world of possibilities waiting for you.
Best regards,
Sheu Abdulkadir Yusuf mnipr, is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rt. Hon. Speaker, KWHA.
