Who are Special Advisers and what are their duties as Senate approves Tinubu’s request to appoint 20
The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, approved the request of President Bola Tinubu to appoint 20 special advisers.
Tinubu’s request was conveyed in a letter to the Senate read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan during plenary on Tuesday.
Although Tinubu did not reveal the names of the Special Advisers in his letter to the Senate, some of the names likely to be on his list include Dele Alake, a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State and spokesperson of the Tinubu campaign organisation, who has been actively involved in the activities of the President since his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
Who are Special Advisers and What are their duties?
Special advisers are political aides appointed to support the President in the performance of his executive duties. Their major duty is to assist and advise.
The President is empowered by Section 151 of the Nigerian Constitution to appoint Special Advisers.
Section 151 (1&2) says: “The President may appoint any person as a Special Adviser to assist him in the performance of his functions. The number of such Advisers and their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by resolution of the National Assembly.”
In this case, while the President is yet to appoint members of his cabinet, the Special Advisers are expected to provide support for the President in core ministries pending the appointment and screening of Ministers.
Unlike the process for appointment of Ministers which goes through National Assembly screening, Special Advisers do not need to appear before the Senate for screening, the President is only expected to seek approval from the National Assembly before appointing them.
“They are not subject to screening. They don’t have a budget head and usually don’t control any resources,” Dr Joe Abah, a former Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reform, explained in a tweet. “Special Advisers are the most senior. Almost equivalent status to Ministers (there are no Senior Special Advisers).”
It should also be noted that Special Advisers are different from Special Assistants who are junior aides to the Presidents.
Tinubu has come under criticism recently for running the Office of the President with personal aides without official appointment since he was sworn-in a week ago.
On May 30, Tinubu’s personal media aide Tunde Rahman released a statement on behalf of the President over the crisis between EFCC and the Department of State Service (DSS). A day after, Dele Alake also met with labour leaders over fuel subsidy removal, and after the meeting, he addressed the media on behalf of the federal government. The activities of some of Tinubu’s personal aides at the State House have raised concerns among citizens who have been asking why the President’s aides have been performing official functions without official appointment.
