By: Ayobami Victor Awoleye
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has appointed five Special Advisers that will take charge of critical departments in his office.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, the appointment takes immediate effect.
The appointees are Mr. Alex Onwudiamu, Deputy Chief of Staff; Elder Omeni Sobotie, Special Adviser, Political Affairs; Mr. Godwin Anaughe, Special Adviser, Special Duties; Prince Efe Duku, Special Adviser, Legislative and Plenary Matters; and Mrs. Estella Nwene, Special Adviser, Administration.
According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, a letter confirming the appointments has been conveyed to the Clerk of the National Assembly and they are to take immediate effect.
Onwudiamu, a lawyer with over 28 years practice, is from Illah in Oshimili North Local Government of Delta State. He was first appointed to the board of the Rural Development Agency in Delta in 2007. He was also the third executive member representing Delta North on the board of Universal Basic Education (SUBEB). He was the former Secretary under the Chairmanship of Prof. B. I. C. Ijeoma of Anioma Political Forum. He chairs the Anioma Agenda—-a political pressure group for the Anioma people. He is currently the Principal Partner in the law firm of Chibuzo, Nnamdi and Co with offices in Asaba and Lagos. He is married with four children.
Sobotie is a veteran political leader and a former Students’ Union Government President at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi. He worked in Shell for several years and was, at different times, a political adviser to governors of Delta State. He joined the ruling All Progressives Congress last year and campaigned vigorously with the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru. He also played critical role in the reelection of Senator Omo-Agege.
Anaughe, a graduate of Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has extensive experience in banking, investigative reporting in Nigeria’s oil and gas sectors. He is also a political strategist who until his new appointment served as SSA, Communications and Strategy to the Deputy President of the Senate.
He was, for several years, the Economic, Financial and Energy correspondent/ Staff writer at the defunct Financial Post, the first weekly financial tabloid in Nigeria.
In 1990, he joined Nationwide Merchant Bank and worked in
Strategic Planning, Financial services, Treasury/ Investment banking departments and rose to become the Deputy Head of Treasury.
He is married to Victoria Agbo Anaughe and blessed with many children.
Duku holds first degrees in Electrical Electronic Engineering and Law from the University of Benin and Robert Gordon University, Scotland respectively. He also holds an MBA degree in Human Resources Management. He was appointed as Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Omo-Agege in 2016, having worked very closely for over a decade with the 2019 Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Great Ogboru.
An experienced hand in legislative matters with close to two decades at the National Assembly, Mrs. Estella Obukowho Nwene hails from Oria Abraka in Ethiope East LGA of Delta State. She was first appointed into the National Assembly service as a Legislative Aide attached to Late Senator Fred Aghogho Brume from Delta Central Senatorial District. She became a Permanent staff of the National Assembly in 2005. Estella Nwene holds two masters degrees in Public Administration and Legislative Studies. She has worked in several Committees in the National Assembly including Senate Committee on Appropriations. She was the Assistant Clerk, Senate Committee on Women Affairs for Seven years, also acting Secretary, Tables Duties Department in the Senate. She is married to Engr Obi Odilichukwu Nwene from Anambra State and their union is blessed with a son.
