The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on National Assembly Matters (House of Reps).
Speaker Abbas, in a congratulatory message conveyed through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, praised President Tinubu for returning one of his top aides to the National Assembly, describing the appointee as “the right person for the job.”
He stated that President Tinubu has demonstrated his political acumen once more by appointing Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart.
Olanrewaju-Smart, whose appointment was an elevation from the position of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, was Chief of Staff to Speaker Abbas before joining the Presidency in 2023.
Before that, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart held several positions, including Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the 9th House, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to the President.
The Speaker, in describing Olanrewaju-Smart’s recent appointment as “well-deserved,” highlighted his commitment to duty and solid understanding of parliamentary procedures and democratic governance.
He added that Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart is not only brilliant and a model of integrity but also a hardworking and patriotic young Nigerian.
Speaker Abbas said he was more excited by Olanrewaju-Smart’s latest appointment as the liaison officer between the Presidency and the National Assembly, saying it promises to further strengthen the cooperation and cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of the government.
While wishing Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart a successful tenure, the Speaker prayed to Allah (SWT) to grant him the grace, wisdom, and strength to execute the new national assignment.
Olanrewaju-Smart earned a Ph.D. in Educational Management from Lead City University, Ibadan, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart was an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and also held a LEAPS Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In addition to serving as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI, USA, where he focuses on AI and Civic Tech, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart also holds a professional diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations.