BY OBUTE JAMES
The representative of Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the House of Representatives, Hon. (Dr) Tajudeen Abbas said the inauguration of the Board of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) will enhance the legislative activities in view of its noble objectives.
Dr. Tajudeen Abbas (PhD) who is the Chairman, House Committee on Land Transport: Treasurer, Commonwealth Parliamentary Union, African Chapter: Caucus Leader, House of Representatives Members from Kaduna State and Governing Council Member of NILDS said the 9th National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives will go into record as one of the best Legislative sessions in the history of democracy in Nigeria.
In an interview with THE LEGISLATURE, Dr. Abbas said apart from the unique legislative agenda of the current House of Representatives, the various bills and motions that have received legislative actions as well as other bills that will be passed into law very soon will attest to his view.
Abbas was recently (penultimate month) elected as Treasurer of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union, African Chapter, appointment as a Governing Council Member of Nigerian Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and elected as Caucus Leader of House of Representatives members from Kaduna State.
President of the Senate, Senator, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan inaugurated the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja last December.
The 17-Member Governing Council of NILDS has Lawan as the Chairman.
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies is an organ of the National Assembly established by an Act of Parliament. President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the National Institute for Legislative Studies Act 2011 on March 2nd 2011 following the passage of the same by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
NILDS builds on the successes of the Policy Analysis and Research Project(PARP), established in 2003 as a capacity building institution of the National Assembly with the financial support of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).
PARP helps to strengthen the capacities of legislators and ensure that the positions and proposals advanced by the National Assembly are informed by requisite research and analytical support.
In 2016, the Institute’s Governing Council approved the establishment of new department of Democratic Studies as well as a Department for Post Graduate Studies.
On January 26th, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Institute for Legislative Studies (Amendment) Act, 2017. This expansion enables the Institute to provide capacity development services to democratic Institutions and governance in Nigeria.