President Muhammadu Buhari has named Babajide Omoworare, a former senator from Osun state, as his senior special assistant on national assembly (senate).
Omoworare succeeds Ita Enang, who was appointed in 2015.
In a statement on Tuesday, Omoworare said Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, announced his appointment.
“Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has just announced my appointment as a Presidential Aide to Mr. President for the National Assembly (Senate),” he said.
“I am grateful to God Almighty and to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve his government as his primary liaison with the Senate. I gladly accept this rare and coveted privilege to advance the adminstration’s legislative agenda, promote its policy priorities in the Senate and foster Mr. President’s constitutional responsibilities in the National Assembly.
“As I resume the helms of President Buhari’s Legislative Office team, I am aware of the importance of ensuring a more productive working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. I have spent the past two decades working passionately as a parliamentarian, policy strategist, legislative strengthening advocate and lobbyist.
“Therefore, it is my sincere but humble hope that that my knowledge, expertise and network of contacts in the National Assembly will be positive and outstanding resources to my new Office, this administration and the Nigerian nation.”
The senate leadership had nominated Omoworare to replace Enang. “In the spirit of his cordial relationship with the senate, the president asked them to nominate someone they can work with and they picked Babajide.
“We expect the cordial relationship to continue so that the president can deliver on his Next Level agenda,” a senator from the north-east had said.
But Enang had told reporters in Abuja that he was still Buhari’s legislative aide. On Tuesday, he announced that he had been named the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta affairs.