VP Sambo Inaugurates Political Parties Leadership Development Centre

Vice President Namadi Sambo on Tuesday inaugurated the Political Parties Leadership and Policy Development Centre built by the National Institute For Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Jos.

The centre, according to NIPSS Director-General, Prof. Tijanni Bande, is expected to train politicians and provide the guide for the evolution of ideology-based strong political parties that will meet the nation’s quest to deepen nation’s democratic values. Sambo was represented by Senator. Isaiah Balat, the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties.

The vice president described political parties as ``very critical’’ to democracy as they served as the link between the citizens and those in government.
According to him, through the political parties, we determine who should lead; the parties determine who should occupy what office.

``It is the political parties that must first identify a leader before putting him or her forward. So, it is very important to seek to boost the capacities of such institutions because their strength determines the quality of our representative government,’’ he said. He pointed out that leaders were usually ``made’’ and ``not born’’ hence the need to prepare them to meet the challenges of the tasks they would be saddled with.