President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was announced in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Olanrewaju-Smart replaces Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who resigned to contest an elective position in his home state.
The Presidency described the new appointee as a policy expert with extensive academic and legislative experience.
Olanrewaju-Smart holds a PhD in Educational Management from Lead City University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. He is also an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
He was a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 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 he focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.
Before his latest appointment, Olanrewaju-Smart built a career within the National Assembly, serving as Research and Media Assistant to the Minority and Majority Leaders of the House of Representatives during the 7th and 8th Assemblies.
He subsequently held key positions in the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, including Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff and later Chief of Staff during the 9th and 10th Assemblies.
In October 2023, he joined the Presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he held until his elevation.
The statement noted that Olanrewaju-Smart has contributed to public policy development and legislative research, including work on landmark laws such as the Interest-Free Student Loan Act.
Expressing confidence in the new appointee, the Presidency said Tinubu believes Olanrewaju-Smart will leverage his experience and expertise to strengthen collaboration between the Presidency, ministries, departments and agencies, and the House of Representatives.
The appointment takes immediate effect.