On Friday, June 2, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a former governor of Benue State, George Akume, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.
Akume’s appointment followed intense lobbing and horse trading by some key stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress, APC, but the President has decided to settle with his former ally and colleague.
Seven things to know about Akume:
Akume was born on 27th December 1953 and hails from Wannune Tarka Council Area of Benue State.
He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, in 1978. He also obtained a Master’s degree in Industrial and Labour Relations (MLR) from the same university in 1986.
Akume contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and became the former Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007. He was the first Governor to have completed two terms in office in Benue State.
He was also elected under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Benue North West senatorial district. He, then, became the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.
The former governor was the Chairman Senate Committee on Army during his political period in the Red Chamber.
In 2019, he lost his senatorial seat to Senator Orke Jev of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Akume was appointed as the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs by former President Muhammadu Buhari on 21st August 2019.
