The Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Council, Benue State, Chief Simon Shango, MFR, has taken a swipe at a group of Benue politicians who are hell-bent on pulling down Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He described the group as “a cabal that has lost out completely in the political struggle in Benue state and think that their misfortunes are as a result of Sen. George Akume’s rising star.” He, however, expressed his strong belief that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as a great political strategist and seasoned administrator, would not just wake up and sack his long-time friend and compatriot simply because it is alleged that he drinks alcohol.
Chief Shango was reacting to a publication in the Okelicious.net titled “President Tinubu moves to replace SGF George Akume amid performance concerns.” The elder statesman said it would have been more reasonable for this cabal to have levelled allegations bothering on embezzlement, abuse of office or a misconduct unbecoming of the high office he occupies. But because they couldn’t find any of such, they resorted to non-issues.
“The writers are worried that if Akume continues to serve in office, he would, like he did before, assist President Bola Ahmed Tinubu go back and complete his second term. They’re enemies of this regime, who shouted against the Muslim-Muslim ticket and called Mr. President all manners of names before the great political strategist triumphantly emerged as the President of Nigeria,” he said.
According to Chief Shango, “Sen. George Akume, CON, a ranking Knight of St. John’s and who comes from Benue state, whose population is 99.9% Christian, stuck his neck out to support the Muslim-Muslim ticket while the faceless writers were shouting against it. Since Akume became Secretary to the Government of the Federation, this group has spent the past year and months of this administration distracting him by bombarding him on social media with unfounded provocative accusations and name-calling. This same group did it against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was contesting.”
The APC elder explained that the job of the SGF involves more than clerical work in the office. “It needs a person who is a political institution, like Akume is, to handle it because more is required, such as interfacing with other institutions on critical issues, which Akume has been doing since he became SGF. Perhaps, they’re under the impression that they would do what Godwin Dabo did against Akume’s Uncle, late Sen. J. S Tarka by telling lies against him and finally getting him removed by Gen. Gowon’s Government. Nigeria’s politics has become more complex than it was during that time.”
He, therefore, advised members of the group to leave Akume, one of the stabilizing factors in the Tinubu administration, alone.
