NILDS DG faces scrutiny as former chief of staff requests academic records from University of Abuja

The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Abubakar O. Sulaiman, is facing scrutiny after a formal request was submitted under the Freedom of Information Act to access his academic and professional records from the University of Abuja.

The request, made by Professor Jake D. Dan-Azumi, questions the legitimacy of Sulaiman’s promotion to professorship, raising concerns about his academic qualifications and publication history.

Professor Dan-Azumi’s request seeks clarifications on the processes that led to Sulaiman’s promotion, citing a lack of significant academic contributions, absence from reputable academic databases, and questionable language proficiency.

A Google Scholar search for “Sulaiman Olarewaju Sulaiman” reportedly yields no results, further casting doubt on his academic standing.

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The request also challenges the validity of Sulaiman’s listed publications, noting that many are published in predatory journals and questioning his claimed output of 3-5 papers per year between 2003-2015, which Dan-Azumi considers implausibly high.

Additional concerns include Sulaiman’s official recognition as a lecturer, inconsistencies in his promotion timeline, and his alleged involvement in admission fraud.

In his submission, Professor Dan-Azumi has also requested the university to provide the assessment criteria for professorship as of 2016, to evaluate whether Sulaiman met the necessary standards at that time.

The request highlights the need for a comprehensive review of Sulaiman’s academic and professional records, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability.

Professor Dan-Azumi warns that failure by the University of Abuja to provide the requested information will lead to further action under the Freedom of Information Act.

The university is urged to respond promptly and fully to these serious concerns.