The director-general of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abubakar Sulaiman, has urged new postgraduate students of the institute to contribute to the development of democracy in Nigeria.

Mr Sulaiman made the call on Thursday at the third NILDS/University of Benin orientation ceremony for more than 200 new postgraduate students in Abuja.

He urged the students to strive to be good ambassadors of the institute and the country.

He noted that the institute was affiliated with the UNIBEN, University of Abuja, Federal University, Lokoja, among other sister universities in the country.

Mr Sulaiman advised the students to keep the rules and regulations of the institute at all times, saying that there was zero tolerance for cultism, exam malpractice, and other misconduct.

Mr Sulaiman explained that the orientation programme was designed to open up the mental horizons of students so they could understand and appreciate the various opportunities available at NILDS.

He added that the major objective of the orientation programme was to provide an opportunity for students to interact, raise issues, ask questions, and seek clarifications on any issue related to the operations of the institute.

The postgraduates in the institute include masters in election and party politics, legislative studies, parliamentary administration, and legislative drafting.

Others are constitutional law and constitutional development, PGD election and political party management, PGD legislative studies, PGD legislative drafting, and PGD parliamentary administration.

(NAN)