PROFILE OF SENATOR ITA S. J. ENANG, LLD, OFR
Legal Practitioner and Legislative Consultant
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Secretary, Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of States Legislature and Judiciary, 2018 to date
Former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs
Former Presidential Adviser and Liaison to the National Assembly, 2015 to 2020
Former Member of the House of Representatives, 1999 to 2011
Former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2011 to 2015
Former Member, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, 1992 to 1993
Former Councillor, Itu Local Government Legislative Council, 1988 to 1990
Background and Early Political Career
Senator Ita Solomon James Enang stands as the only Nigerian documented to have served across all legislative tiers of government, from students parliament to local government legislature, state assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.
At the University of Calabar, he was politically active and served as Deputy Secretary of the Students Union Government and scribe of the Students Parliament.
He completed his National Youth Service at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Alausa. Afterward, he joined Sheriff Chambers to practise law before establishing his firm, Ita Enang Associates, Ibom Chambers, in 1988.
In 1989, he was elected Councillor in Itu Local Government Legislative Council. After the dissolution of the council, he returned to legal practice and continued human rights advocacy, which led to several arrests and detentions during the military era.
Service in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, 1992 to 1993
He was elected into the pioneer Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in 1992 to represent Ibiono Ibom State Constituency.
Positions Held
- Chairman, Standing Order Committee
- Chairman, Committee on Procedure
- Chairman, Rules and Business Committee
- Chairman, Committee on Justice, Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions
- Deputy Majority Leader
His tenure ended after the November 1993 military intervention led by General Sani Abacha.
Service in the House of Representatives, 1999 to 2011
Senator Ita Enang was elected into the House of Representatives in 1999 and won elections into the House four consecutive times, serving three full terms.
Positions Held During 1999 to 2007
- Chairman, Rules and Business Committee
- Chairman, Standing Orders Review Committee, 2007
- Member, Ad hoc Committee on Revenue Allocation
- Chairman, Special Committee on Treaties, Conventions and Protocols, where he led reviews and produced reports on several international conventions including:
• United Nations Convention against Torture
• Protocol on Trafficking in Persons
• Rotterdam Convention on Hazardous Chemicals
• Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Treaty
• Convention on Chemical Weapons
Positions Held During 2007 to 2011
- Chairman, Rules and Business Committee
- Chairman, Standing Orders Review Committee, 2009
- Co chairman, Joint Committee on Legislative Scrutiny
- Member, Ad hoc Committee on Loans Investigation
Senate Career, 2011 to 2015
Representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, he held the following leadership roles:
- Chairman, Senate Rules and Business Committee
- Chairman, Conference on Proclamation of State of Emergency
- Member, 1999 Constitution Amendment Committee
- Member, Committees on Appropriations, Niger Delta, Judiciary and Human Rights
Sponsored Bill
He sponsored the amendment to the Central Bank of Nigeria Act which became law in 2007, altering section 19 relating to currency denominations and National Assembly ratification.
Presidential Appointments
1. Presidential Liaison to the National Assembly, Senate
Appointed in August 2015 and served until May 2019.
2. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs
Appointed in August 2019.
3. Secretary, Presidential Implementation Committee on Autonomy of State Legislature and Judiciary
He originated the memo that led to the establishment of the committee and drove the process that produced:
• Memorandum of Action between JUSUN, PASAN, Governors Forum and Speakers Forum
• Framework for financial autonomy for judiciary and legislature
• Constitution (Fifth Alteration) No 6 Act of 2023
Educational Contributions to Akwa Ibom State
- Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, 2014
- Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, 2021
- Legal status for the University of Uyo through the 2013 bill
Honours and Recognition
• Honorary Doctor of Laws, LL D, University of Uyo, 2015
• Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR
• Nigeria Institute of Management member
• Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary Club International
• Fellow, Institute of Chartered Conciliators and Mediators
• Alumni of Tulane Law School, London School of Management, International Law Institute Washington DC and Harvard Kennedy School
Selected Publications, Papers and Conference Presentations
He has delivered numerous papers on legislative practice, executive legislative relations, financial autonomy, law making, public accounts management, standing orders and constitutional matters.
The document lists more than thirty significant papers including:
• Legislative Practice and Procedure in the National Assembly, 2019
• Executive Legislative Relations and Financial Autonomy, 2018
• Legal Issues on Public Accounts Committees, 2002
• Making the Legislature Work for Nigerians, 2010
• Legislative Floor Procedure, 2004
• Media Coverage of the Legislature, 2012
• Standing Orders of Senate and House of Representatives, 2014
• Legislative Procedures and Practice in State Houses of Assembly, 2015
He also directed the production of the book Notation and Review of Federal Legislation 1990 and Decrees 1990 to 1999, launched in 2001.
Family
Senator Ita Enang is married to Dr Rosemary Ita Enang. They are blessed with four children:
- Imaobong Udom
- Charles Ita Enang
- Engr Dr Roses Ita Enang
- Barr Solomon Ita Enang
