Kwara APC Primaries: Group Seeks Arrest of NILDS DG, Suleiman

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A group of legislative lawyers under the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order compelling the House of Representatives to issue an arrest warrant against the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman.

The suit follows allegations that Suleiman failed to honour a summons issued by the House Committee on Legislative Library, Research and Documentation over his alleged participation in the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in Kwara State without resigning his appointment.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Library, Research and Documentation, Yusuf Galambi, were named as respondents in the suit filed by the association through its counsel, J. J. Lamy.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order of mandamus directing the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional powers by issuing a warrant for Suleiman’s arrest over his failure to appear before the committee on June 18, 2026.

They also asked the court to declare that Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution empower the House of Representatives and its committees to compel attendance and ensure compliance with lawful summons.

According to the association, Suleiman was invited to appear before the committee as part of an investigation into claims that he contested the APC governorship primary in Kwara State while serving as head of a federal institution under the National Assembly.

The plaintiffs argued that his refusal to honour the invitation amounted to non-compliance with constitutional and legislative provisions governing investigative powers of the National Assembly.

“The respondents possess the constitutional and statutory authority necessary to initiate and issue such warrant and to ensure compliance with lawful summons. It is in the public interest and in furtherance of the rule of law that the respondents be compelled to discharge their constitutional duties,” the suit stated.

The lawyers further requested an order directing the House leadership to enforce relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act against persons who fail to appear after being summoned.

The latest action is connected to an earlier suit filed by the association seeking the removal of Suleiman as Director General of NILDS.

In that suit, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare that Suleiman ought to have resigned his appointment on or before March 31, 2026, after indicating interest in contesting the APC governorship primary election in Kwara State.

They contended that his alleged failure to resign before participating in the primary election violated provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The association also sought declarations that the failure of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to appoint an acting Director General for NILDS after Suleiman’s alleged participation in the primary election was unlawful and a breach of statutory responsibilities.

In addition, the plaintiffs asked the court to compel the leadership of the National Assembly to appoint an acting Director General pending the appointment of a substantive head for the institute.

Meanwhile, the association said it has submitted evidence to the House Committee on Legislative Library, Documentation and Research to support its allegations against Suleiman.

According to the group, the documents include a June 19, 2026 letter addressed to the National Chairman of the APC requesting certified records of Suleiman’s membership and participation in the party’s governorship primary held on May 22, 2026.

Other materials submitted include a query reportedly issued to Suleiman by the Governing Council of NILDS on June 2, 2026, newspaper publications and eyewitness accounts relating to the primary election.

The House committee is expected to continue its investigation into the matter.

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