The Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has called for the immediate suspension of the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, pending the determination of a suit before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja.
In a statement issued on June 3, 2026, ALDRAP urged the Governing Council of NILDS to place Prof. Sulaiman on interdiction and appoint an acting Director-General to oversee the institute until the court delivers its judgment. The association’s demand stems from what it described as Prof. Sulaiman’s participation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary process in Kwara State while serving as Director-General of NILDS.
According to ALDRAP, Prof. Sulaiman publicly declared his intention to contest for governor and completed an expression of interest form under the APC platform without first relinquishing his position as head of the institute. The association alleged that this contravened provisions of the 1999 Constitution relating to public officers seeking elective office, specifically citing Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(g), and 182(1)(g), which require public officers seeking elective positions to resign, withdraw, or retire from public service within the stipulated period before an election.
ALDRAP further disclosed that it instituted a suit marked NICN/ABJ/103/2026 before the National Industrial Court on March 27, 2026, challenging Prof. Sulaiman’s continued occupation of the office of Director-General following his involvement in the APC governorship primary process. The suit names Prof. Sulaiman, the Chairman of the NILDS Governing Council, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who serves as Alternate Chairman of the council, among the defendants.
The claimants are seeking, among other reliefs, orders compelling the Governing Council to declare Prof. Sulaiman no longer qualified to remain Director-General and to appoint an acting head for the institute. ALDRAP also alleged that Prof. Sulaiman failed to notify the Governing Council about the pending litigation despite his position as Secretary of the council under the National Institute for Legislative Studies Act, 2011.
The association further claimed that the Director-General failed to take steps to protect or indemnify members of the Governing Council who were joined as defendants in the suit as a result of actions allegedly taken in his official capacity. It also alleged that Prof. Sulaiman acted without the prior approval of the Governing Council by engaging both the institute’s Legal Adviser and an external Senior Advocate of Nigeria to represent NILDS in the ongoing court proceedings.
According to ALDRAP, these actions amount to serious breaches of the National Institute for Legislative Studies Act and warrant disciplinary action by the institute’s governing authorities. The association maintained that, given the pendency of the matter before the National Industrial Court, it would be prudent for the Chairman and Alternate Chairman of the Governing Council to suspend him from office pending the final determination of the case. It argued that such a measure would protect the integrity of the institution and prevent any possible conflict of interest while the court considers the issues raised in the suit.
ALDRAP further recommended the appointment of an acting Director-General to ensure continuity in the administration of the institute and prevent any vacuum in leadership. However, the allegations and legal claims contained in the statement remain subject to judicial determination. No court has yet made any finding on the merits of the allegations against Prof. Sulaiman.
