Tinubu appoints Olanrewaju-Smart as Special Adviser on House of Reps matters

Tinubu appoints Olanrewaju-Smart as Special Adviser on House of Reps matters

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), following the resignation of Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who stepped down to pursue an elective political office in his home state.

The appointment takes immediate effect and was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the Presidency, the appointment is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between the Executive and the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, as the Tinubu administration advances key legislative reforms and governance priorities.

Olanrewaju-Smart is widely regarded as an experienced legislative strategist and public policy expert, having served in several senior positions within both the National Assembly and the Presidency.

He holds a Doctorate in Educational Management from Lead City University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, where he was an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and is also a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In addition, he earned a Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations and served as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI in the United States, where his work focused on artificial intelligence, digital governance and civic technology.

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His legislative career began during the 7th and 8th National Assemblies, when he served as Research and Media Assistant to both the Minority and Majority Leaders of the House of Representatives.

Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and later Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the 9th and 10th National Assemblies, gaining extensive experience in legislative administration, policy coordination and executive-legislative engagement.

In October 2023, President Tinubu appointed him Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a role in which he coordinated relationships between the Presidency, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), state governments and other stakeholders.

The Presidency also credited Olanrewaju-Smart with contributing to policy development and legislative research for several important bills, including the Interest-Free Student Loan Act, one of the administration’s flagship education reforms designed to improve access to higher education for Nigerian students.

Announcing the appointment, President Tinubu expressed confidence that Olanrewaju-Smart’s experience, academic background and understanding of legislative processes would strengthen cooperation between the Presidency and the House of Representatives.

The President said the new adviser is expected to improve policy coordination, facilitate legislative engagement and deepen collaboration between the Executive, lawmakers and government institutions to support the implementation of the administration’s reform agenda.

Political observers say the appointment reflects the administration’s commitment to maintaining cordial Executive-legislative relations, which remain crucial to the passage of government bills, budget implementation and broader governance reforms.

With his extensive experience in parliamentary affairs and public policy, Olanrewaju-Smart is expected to play a key role in promoting effective communication between the Presidency and members of the House of Representatives while supporting the smooth implementation of government policies requiring legislative backing.

The Presidency said the appointment takes effect immediately.

Tinubu appoints Olanrewaju-Smart as Special Adviser on House of Reps matters