Former President Goodluck Jonathan described the Director General of the National Institute for Democratic and Legislative Studies(NILDS, Abubakar Sulaiman, as an institution builder.
Mr Jonathan said Mr Sulaiman’s leadership at the National Planning Commission brought professionalism and structure to national policy coordination.
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Mr Jonathan made the remarks on Friday in Abuja during the 60th birthday celebration of Mr Sulaiman and the launch of two books to commemorate the occasion.
Mr Sulaiman, a professor of political science and international relations, served as the Minister of National Planning and the deputy chairman of the National Planning Commission at the twilight of the Jonathan administration.
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Mr Jonathan, represented by a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Muhammed Adoke, said, “Although his appointment came towards the end of our administration, Suleiman’s impact was immediate.
“He brought reforms, efficiency and accountability, values that our public institutions urgently need today,” the former President said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said that Mr Suleiman’s legacy lies in his commitment to nurturing future leaders and embedding institutional resilience.
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Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation, Mr Johnson Adekunle, Mr Shettima said that Sulaiman’s brand of leadership showed how mentorship and vision could strengthen governance and national development.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who said he had to abandon some activities lined up to mark his own 51st birthday and 10th anniversary on the royal throne, to be in Abuja for Mr Sulaiman’s celebrations, said Nigeria’s crisis was not that of intellect but integrity.
While commending Mr Sulaiman for demonstrating high integrity, the royal father noted that moral leadership was still possible in public life.
“He is a man of simplicity, empathy and discipline; a professor in leadership as much as in politics.
“Nigeria’s renewal depends on leaders who embody those values,” he said.
A former Senate President in the 9th Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who reappointed Mr Sulaiman for his second term in office as NILDS DG in 2023, described him as a reformer who turned ideas into action.
He said his tenure as NILDS DG has redefined the institute as a hub of knowledge, professionalism and innovation.
Jega advocates value-driven leadership
Meanwhile, a former INEC Chairperson, Attahiru Jega, has called for a transformative, value-driven leadership that prioritises national interest over personal gains in order to put Nigeria in its rightful place in the comity of nations.
Mr Jega, a professor, made the call while reviewing the book entitled “Transformative Leadership in Practice,” by the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman.
The book was one of the two books launched on the occasion. The second book, reviewed by Professor Nimota Abdulraheem, is entitled ‘Destiny, Character and Leadership.’
The former INEC chair warned that Nigeria’s development and democratic stability would remain elusive until transformative leadership was achieved.
READ ALSO: Akpabio lauds NILDS’ performance under Abubakar Sulaiman’s leadership
“This book provides empirical evidence that transformative leadership is not theoretical; it works.
“Suleiman’s work at NILDS shows that when vision meets courage, even a public institution can evolve into a centre of excellence.
“We cannot continue to lament the weakness of our institutions while rewarding mediocrity and political patronage; leadership must be guided by service, not self-interest,” he said.
Responding, Mr Sulaiman,said he was overwhelmed by the outpour of goodwill and good wishes, as he marked his 60th birthday.
He said the kind words would spur him to do more to serve the country and humanity in the years ahead.
Many dignitaries, politicians, and captains of industry, including the Emir of Ilori,who was represented, and former chief of staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, attended the two-in-one occasion in Abuja.
(NAN)
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