By Our Reporter
There seems to be uncertainty in the House of Representatives over the re-appointment of former Speaker’s Chief ok f Staff, Olanrewaju Smarth as the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
Until this recent appointment, Olanrewaju Smarth was the Chief of Staff to the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila was also recently appointed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
At an interface with members-elect in Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja in May 2023, Gbajabiamila reacting to allegation that Abbas will be his stooge if he emerges as the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, stated that he has no secret deal with Abbas. Abbas then pointed out that Gbajabiamila did not tell him a single thing to do if he emerges as a speaker.
However, with the appointment of Olanrewaju Smart as his Chief of Staff and former Special Assistant, Members Affairs to Gbajabiamila, Hon. Dunkwu Chamberlain as Deputy Chief of Staff, (Legislative Affair) so many members are now worried that indeed they will not have serious say in the affairs of the 10th House of Representatives under Abbas.
Abbas had also appointed Musa Abdullahi Krishi as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity few hours after his inauguration. Musa Kirishi was the Spokesperson (chief press secretary) to Gbajabiamila in the 9th National Assembly.
In the list of Abbas’ aides released on Monday, the name of Olanrewaju Smart was deliberately removed to avoid tension. Some loyalists of Abbas and other members who were following the recent development in the House but are unhappy were told that Smart is in Acting Capacity for only 3 months.
Sources close to Abbas said the New Speaker may soon have problem with his colleagues if he continues to act on the script written behind the curtain.
The source which spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed that most of the names released as aides to the new speaker were from the list Gbajabiamila allegedly sent to Abbas.
According to the source, Abbas does not know most of these people on the list but was compelled to announce their names. “Apart from few of his relatives and close friends that were almost forced on him due to pressures from Kaduna, almost all his loyalists that had laboured with him since he became a member over eight years ago were abandoned”, the source said.
This medium also learnt that Abbas was in London for medical checkup when the list was finally compiled and made available to newsmen.
See the list released on Monday.
Press Statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of RepresentativesJune 26, 2023
FRESH APPOINTMENTS IN THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1. ENGR. JAMIL AHMED MUHAMMED – DEP. CHIEF OF STAFF – ADMINISTRATION
2. DR. DUNKWU CHAMBERLAIN – DEP. CHIEF OF STAFF – LEGISLATIVE
3. HON. AHMED DAYYABU SAFANA – SPECIAL ADVISER, SPECIAL DUTIES
4. DR. HAMISU IBRAHIM KUBAU – SPECIAL ADVISER, POLITICAL MATTERS
5. BARR. SAMUEL AJAYI – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, LEGAL MATTERS
6. BARR. OSAZEE MELODY OGUNDIJIE – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
7. BARR. AMINU RAMALAN – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, FINANCE
8. AMB. IBRAHIM HAMIDU GUSAU – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, INTERNATIONAL AND INTERPARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
9. LAMIR UMAR IBRAHIM – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, YOUTH MATTERS
10. YETUNDE ADENIJI – SPECIAL – ASSISTANT, WOMEN AFFAIRS
11. HON. RAPHAEL NNANA IGBOKWE – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, INTERGOVERMENTAL AFFAIRS
12. ZAKARI ALIYU PRINCIPAL PRIVATE SECRETARY
13. LEKE BAYEIWU – CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
14. NURA ADAMU – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, BROADCAST MEDIA
15. AHMED BABA MUSA – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, PRINT MEDIA
16. OLABAMIJI ENITAN JOWOSIMI – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, NEW MEDIA
17. ALIYU GARBA WAZIRI – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, EXECUTIVE RELATIONS AND JOB CREATION
18. MOHAMMED SALAME – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY – ICT
19. HON. FRIDAY ITULAH – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS(SOUTH SOUTH)
20. HON. GODFREY GAIYA – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS(NORTH WEST)
21. HANMATION MARK TERSOO – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS (NORTH CENTRAL)
22. HON. ZAKARI GALADIMA – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS (NORTH EAST)
23. ABDULSALAM BABAKAYODE – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS (SOUTH WEST)
24. HON. OKWUDILI CHRISTOPHER EZENWANKWO – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, POLITICAL MATTERS (SOUTH EAST)
25. HON. ABDULAHI SA’AD ABDULKADIR – SPECIAL ASSISTANT, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
26. LAWAL SHEHU ALIYU – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE – NEW MEDIA 1
27. MARY ANN UJU ONYEJIMBE – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE
28. NURA MUSTAPHA – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE
29. YAHAYA AMINU PATE – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE – (PERSONAL ASSISTANT)
30. AUWAL USMAN KOMBANI – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE – NEW MEDIA II
31. VICTOR NGUN – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE, VISUAL COMMUNICATION
32. ANDREW FABIAN – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE – PHOTOGRAPHY
33. DAVID ADEBAYO DOLAPO – SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE – OFFICIAL VIDEOGRAPHER
SignedMusa Abdullahi Krishi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
