Noting that he would have been about 78 years old in 2031 when President Bola Tinubu would be rounding off his second term in office as president, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume said on Tuesday that he would bow out of government and elective politics with his principal.…CONTINUE READING
Akume spoke in Makurdi at a colloquium organized by the Benue State Government to mark his 70th birthday.
Apparently responding to reports doing the rounds to the effect that he might be interested in the presidency when it rotates to the Northern part of the country at the end of President Tinubu’s tenure, Akume told the quality audience at the colloquium: “I have no ambition to run for elective office again.”
He declared: “As the President bows out in 2031, I bow out with him. There is no more election for Senator George Akume: two-term governor of Benue State, three-term Senator, a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and now Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
Akume, in his remarks that he delivered ex tempore, took time to address other concerns raised by speakers on the occasion.
He said that everybody needed someone to lean on, one way or another, stressing that in his political journey, “I will need you (referring to all present on the occasion) to lean on.”
Akume noted that attainment of 70 years was not an easy thing to do, particularly in African countries where life expectancy was short.
“I started this journey with many of my friends; some of them had died. God has protected me. I am alive to witness 70 years. All I have to say is glory be to the Almighty God,” he said.
The SGF took the opportunity of his remarks to thank President Bola Tinubu for finding him worthy for appointment as the SGF.
He said that since the inauguration of the administration on May 29, President Tinubu had emplaced a number of policies-monetary, fiscal, and others, which would help to address issues in the country and build resilience for the economy.
Akume urged Nigerians to exercise a little more patience to allow for the consummation and maturation of the numerous policies that had been designed in the national interest.
He encouraged Nigerians to keep hope alive as the Tinubu administration was working round the clock to address the current economic situations, saying “no matter, the difficulties, the future is bright for our nation.
“Nations are great because the citizens believe tomorrow will be great…. Difficult problems cannot be solved with instant coffee. It will take some time for them to be addressed.”
Akume said that managing diversity was one of the key areas of concern for the administration, pointing out that diversity was a source of strength when it was well managed.
According to him, President Tinubu had reflected this (management of diversity) in the appointments he had so far made.
Restating the position of the administration that Nigeria was a united, indivisible entity, Akume said “we are one and we will continue to be one.”
He maintained that Nigeria would continue to exist regardless of existential threats.
The SGF assured Nigerians that the administration’s commitment to poverty reduction remained unassailable.
He thanked the State Governor, Rev Father Hyacinth Alia for putting together the colloquium in celebration of his 70th birthday, describing the speech delivered by the Deputy Governor, Mr Sam ode, on behalf od the governor who was out of the state on an official assignment, as beautiful.
In the speech, the governor had described Akume as the cradle of politics and governorship succession in Benue since 1999.
In reciprocity, Akume declared that he had no problems with the governor.
According to him, “I worked very hard for the governor to win his election. I want him to succeed in every purposeful and meaningful manner. I want you all to pray for him (the governor), pray for President Bola Tinubu and pray for me too.”
He invited guests at the colloquium to find time to attend his birthday thanksgiving service in his church at Wannune, his hometown, on Wednesday, December 27.
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