The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, has pledged the Institute’s full implementation of its Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
Prof. Sulaiman gave the assurance on Thursday, April 23, 2026, when the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, led a high-powered delegation on a courtesy visit to the DG at the NILDS permanent site, Piwoyi, Abuja.
Describing Prof. Fawehinmi as “an embodiment of scholarship and uncommon humility,” the DG commended the VC for making the symbolic gesture of being the first university head to visit NILDS under his leadership. Sulaiman, a former Minister of National Planning, said he was proud to be “an ambassador and great stakeholder in the affairs of the university.”
Prof. Sulaiman urged the Vice Chancellor to resuscitate the scrapped Legislative Centre in the university, noting that it was part of the legacies of the late former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nuhu Yakubu. He added that “the best of MoU signed by NILDS had been with the University of Abuja,” disclosing that more than 12 lecturers from the university had been accepted on sabbatical at the Institute.
“We must make Yakubu Gowon University work,” the DG declared, reiterating NILDS’ commitment to deepening academic and research collaboration with the university.
In his remarks, Prof. Fawehinmi thanked the NILDS DG for the hospitality and promised to sustain the cordial relationship between the two institutions.
The high point of the visit was the exchange of plaques between NILDS and the university delegation. The visit follows the Federal Government’s recent renaming of the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University in honour of the former Head of State.
