Abuja: The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has called on elites to address the pressing developmental challenges confronting the country. Sulaiman made the call at the opening of a survey validation workshop on the Elite Consensus report in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the workshop marked a significant step in the institute’s ongoing efforts to mobilize elite alignment on critical national issues. Sulaiman mentioned that this initiative is part of a broader research effort aimed at identifying strategies to strengthen consensus among Nigeria’s influential actors on key governance and developmental priorities. He expressed regret that, unlike other countries that have progressed through consensus-building and intellectual collaboration, Nigeria’s elite often remain divided along ethnic, religious, and economic lines.
As a research and capacity-building institution, NILDS supports its programs and publications with empirical data. The workshop aimed to validate the results of a nationwide elite survey. The lack of elite agreement on national priorities, such as restructuring, devolution of power, financial autonomy for local governments, or the creation of state police, has deepened the crisis of national consensus. Sulaiman emphasized that the workshop aims to provide a roadmap to help surmount these challenges by getting elites to work together for the country’s benefit.
Sulaiman also announced NILDS’ plans to host a National Summit on Elite Consensus to convene a broader cross-section of elites from across the country to refine and adopt consensus strategies on national development. In his remarks, the Chairman of the NILDS Elite Consensus Development Committee, Prof. Attahiru Jega, stated that a survey was conducted to understand the opinions, perceptions, and perspectives of sampled Nigerian elites on consensus. The project assumes that Nigeria would significantly benefit from efforts to achieve consensus among its elites on key issues for sustainable development.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the survey recommends that constitutional provisions on citizens’ rights should take precedence over ‘indigene’ rights, ensuring that Nigerian citizens enjoy their rights wherever they reside. It also suggests removing the statutory immunity currently enjoyed by executive office holders. Furthermore, laws should prioritize custodial sentences of not less than 10 years and include the death penalty for convicted corruption cases. The cost of governance was identified as a burden needing reduction, alongside a call for the devolution of power to strengthen governance at local and state levels. The report notes the role of traditional leaders in national development, recommending they be given a statutory role in addressing insecurity.