By KINGSLEY OKOYE

Deputy President of Senate, Sen. Jibrin Barau, has announced the appointment of Prof. Muhammad Abdullahi as his Chief of Staff.

Barau also announced Prof. Bashir Fagge, Special Adviser on Policy and Monitoring, while Deputy General Editor of Daily Trust Newspapers, Ismail Mudashir, was named Special Adviser, Media and Publicity.

Barau in statement on Sunday in Abuja also appointed Idris Ajimobi, son of late Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, as his Special Adviser on Special Duties.

He also appointed Yusuf Tumfafias his Special Adviser on Politics, while Mrs. Ngozi Nkemdirim, a pioneer staff member of the National Assembly, was announced as Special Adviser on Administration.

Also appointed is Shittu Kunchi as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

Abdullahi, the new chief of staff born in Faruruwa, Shanono LGA, Kano State, was until this appointment, the Head of Department, Education, School of Continuing Education of Bayero University Kano (BUK).

Fagge, a Professor of Animal Science, hails from Fagge in Fagge LGA of Kano State. He attended Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto for his B.Sc in Agriculture; and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University for his M.Sc and Ph.D.

He served as the Provost of the Federal College of Education Technical, Bichi, Kano State between 2015 and 2023. He was also a member of the Senior Executive Course 40 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau.

Mudashir, who hails from Kwara, was born in Zamfara and until this appointment was the Deputy General Editor of the Daily Trust Newspapers.

While in Daily Trust, he held various positions including, Regional Editor (Kano), Group Politics Editor, State House Correspondent and Head of the National Assembly.

He started his journalism career in 2003 at the New Nigerian Newspapers Kaduna.

He studied Mass Communication at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kaduna Polytechnic; Bayero University Kano; and Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi, India, for his undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Idris Abiola Ajimobi, the son of the late Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, had his primary and secondary education in Nigeria before moving to England, where he furthered his studies and graduated with a degree in Business Management in 2004. He also obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations.

Mrs. Ngozi Ndawi Nkemdirim, who was born in Jos, Plateau, hails from Imo. The graduate of the University of Calabar, has three decades of experience in the National Assembly.

Until her appointment, she was the Director, Journals and Procedure of the Senate.

In 2008, she obtained a Masters in International Administration from the London Metropolitan University, UK. She has attended various trainings on legislative drafting and parliamentary procedure.

Barau said the appointees were selected based on their track records in their respective professions.

According to him, the appointments take immediate effect. (NAN)