For a leader who has the stomach for taking tough but inevitable decisions, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not have made a better pick than Senator George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
When Senator Akume assumed duties about a week after the presidential inauguration, a seamingly herculian task was already waiting on his table. His principal, President Tinubu, had taken what, perhaps, could turn out as the toughest and defining, albeit most necessary, decision of his presidency, on his inauguration day: the removal of petrol subsidy, hitherto described in many expert circles as notorious for fostering corruption, inefficiency and imposing significant fiscal strain on the government annually, and primarily benefitting the affluent and smugglers, rather than effectively aiding the general populace, among others. Preceding administrations would not touch it with a long pole because of its sensitivity, the powerful interests involved, and the possible negative political and economic consequences of removing it.
The no-petrol-subsidy policy was, shortly after, joined by another inevitably tough one – the floatation of the Naira exchange rate. Though designed to correct structural imbalances in the economy, save the system from imminent collapse and improve the well-being of Nigerians, the immediate, though unintended, effects of the twin policies were sharp increases in the prices of goods and services across board, economic hardship and tension among citizens. It was the primary responsibility of the OSGF, described variously as the powerhouse, the clearing house, the heartbeat, policy hub, the secretariat, etc, of the Federal Government, to monitor, coordinate and explain the implementation of these and many other critical policies of the Tinubu administration to ensure the achievement of set objectives and the mitigation of unintended or unforeseen backlashes. Invariably, the stability, success, or failure of the government rest squarely on the shoulders of the SGF.
A faint-hearted misfit would have been intimidated by the daunting tasks and challenges of the office. But, so far, in the first one-and-half years of the Tinubu Presidency, Senator Akume has adequately justified his appointment as the SGF. The retired Permanent Secretary, former Governor, former Minister, and three-term Senator has deployed his administrative experience, political dexterity, and crisis management acumen to tackle the challenges and pull the task through. With the support of the Akume-led OSGF, the Tinubu administration has implemented significant economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy and fostering sustainable growth.
The administration has laid the foundation for sustainable progress and prosperity for all Nigerians through its focus on infrastructure development, job creation, and economic diversification. Furthermore, through its commitment to good governance and the rule of law, the government has strengthened Nigeria’s democratic institutions and enhanced transparency and accountability in governance. The administration’s unwavering resolve to combat corruption and promote ethical leadership has earned the admiration and support of the Nigerian people.
The government has also completed the execution of numerous on-going projects, notable among which are the extensive road networks, improved rail systems, and the modernization of the country’s ports, which are vital for boosting trade and connectivity.
In the same vein, the administration has made substantial investments in healthcare and education. The government also launched new healthcare facilities and upgraded existing ones, along with reforms in the educational system.
The government has also ensured the safety and security of Nigerians by strengthening the security apparatus, enhancing intelligence gathering, and fostering greater collaboration among security agencies to address the multifaceted challenges of security across the country.
Akume’s contributions to these and many other achievements began in earnest upon assumption of office. He ensured that the new administration officials, including the President and Vice- President, settled down to business speedily and seamlessly. He superintended over the processing of the appointment of ministers, other political appointees, and heads of statutory bodies, commissions, and agencies. Senator Akume also ensured the provision of office accommodation and support services for political office holders.
One of the major tasks he carried out in the first 100 days of the administration was serving as the chairman of the 2023 Inter-Ministerial committee on Democracy Day which held on June 12. He also consolidated the federal government’s fight against the triple scourge of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by enhancing collaboration with the Global Fund when he received in audience a delegation from the Global Fund which approved about $1 billion for Nigeria as part of its grant to assist the country in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and HIV/AIDS for the next three years.
The SGF reached for his administrative and crisis management skills in the resolution of potentially explosive protests against some alleged adverse government actions, inactions and policies. These included the nationwide strike action by organized labour about four months into the life of the new administration, the #endbadgovernance protest and #fearlessoctober, as well as other threats of industrial action. Applying the carrot-and-stick approach when and where necessary, Senator Akume was able to deploy a combination of threat of prosecution, persuation and empathy to douse tension and avert major or sustained dislocations to the economy, breakdown of law and order, and loss of lives and destruction of property.
The SGF’s handling of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)-organised workers’ strike is a typical example. When the striking electricity workers plunged the entire country into darkness by disabling the national power grid, Akume accused them of committing treason, citing relevant provisions of the law. In spite of the flak, he received from labour and civil society leaders over the accusation, the SGF mellowed down and invited them for continuation of negotiation of the minimum wage. Through honest negotiations between government and labour, a mutually acceptable minimum wage of N70,000 was amicably agreed upon, which is now being implemented by all tiers of government and the private sector.
Akume applied persuation and empathy in handling the buildup to the nationwide protests in September 2023 occasioned by policy-induced economic hardship. He said in a statement that efforts were being made to cushion the immediate impact and to create new opportunities in the short, medium and long-term basis. “These policies and programmes are being implemented for long-term solutions to these problems and I assure us all that in no distant time, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the trajectory of our socio-economic development will soar higher in the positive territory.”
The SGF said the President approved a low-key celebration of the country’s 64th Independence anniversary “in alignment with the mood of the nation.”
Aided by his over two decades of experience at the highest levels of the executive and legislative branches of government, Senator Akume, as SGF, has been able to guide the Tinubu administration to achieve a very cordial relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly. Evidence of this can be found in the non-interference by the President and rancour-free election of Principal Officers of the National Assembly; speedy confirmation of the President’s ministerial nominees and other appointees as well as the smooth passage of executive bills by the Federal legislature. The recent complaint by the House of Representatives over the discrepancy in the category of the National Honours awarded the Senate President and the Speaker, which threatened to torpedo the existing chummy relationship between the executive and legislative branches, was impressively nipped in the bud. The President quickly corrected the discrepancy and cordiality returned.
There is even an element of personal touch of the SGF in the peaceful ties between the presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly. Amidst the uproar generated by Senator Akume’s allegation of treason against labour for shutting down the national power grid during the strike action over minimum wage, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio promptly aligned himself with the Presidency, by publicly concurring with the SGF that labour had, indeed, committed treason.
Senator Akume’s long sojourn in the upper echelons of power has helped him in guiding the Tinubu administration to build not only strong intergovernmental relations but also political stability. His years as a PDP Governor, and ACN/APC Senator, state party leader and minister earned him a vast network of political leaders across party lines. The SGF has used this network to weld various partisan and intra-party tendencies together to achieve stability in what could have otherwise been a rancorous polity. This includes his level-headed management of the no-love-lost relationship with Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, his state governor and his supporters. As an icing on the cake, Senator Akume has been leveraging his position as the apparent political leader of the North Central geopolitical zone and northern Christian leader to hold the North together for his principal. Of course, the Tinubu administration is the major beneficiary of Senator Akume’s political craftsmanship.
The SGF’s silent, largely behind-the- scenes, contributions to the success of the Tinubu Presidency thus far have not gone unnoticed by Nigerians. “The assumption of Senator George Akume, two-time Governor of Benue state, Senator and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has helped to bring so much stability to the current administration with so much successes recorded without the controversies that hitherto characterised the OSGF,” Ambassador Solomon Adodo and Otunba Michael Msuaan, leaders of Rising-Up for a United Nigeria (RUN), an umbrella Civil Society Organisation (CSO) for the youth and middle-age citizens in Nigeria, said at an emergency roundtable meeting organised to review Senator George Akume’s one year in office as the SGF.
Similarly, the Benue State National Assembly and Federal Appointees Caucus has hailed Senator Akume for his outstanding performance and dedication to serving Nigeria. In a statement immediately after the recent cabinet reshuffle, Hon. Philip Agbese, Spokesperson for the caucus, said the OSGF under Senator Akume has undergone significant reforms, streamlining processes, and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks to enhance service delivery. He said that Senator Akume’s strategic vision has ensured effective implementation of the President’s policies and programmes.
“Under his guidance, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has witnessed significant reforms, facilitating seamless coordination among ministries, departments, and agencies.
“Senator Akume’s strategic vision has ensured the effective implementation of the President’s policies and programmes, fostering interagency collaboration and promoting synergy while resolving interministerial conflicts. He has also enhanced transparency and accountability in government procurement and financial management.”
It is in consideration of all these outstanding accomplishments, which are a clear demonstration of Senator George Akume’s ranking as a leader of excellence worthy of commendation, that the management of this publication decided to accord him this special recognition as The Top10 Magazine Man of the Year 2024.
PROFILE
Senator Akume, 70, hails from Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State. He worked as a civil servant, rising to the top of his career as Permanent secretary before retiring into politics.
He was elected Governor of Benue State in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), where he was a foundation member. He was re-elected in 2003 on the same party’s ticket. At the end of his second and statutory final tenure in 2007, he facilitated the emergence of his successor, Hon Gabriel Suswam, who was then a member of the House of Representatives and, on his part, got elected to the Senate to represent Benue Northwest, on the platform of the PDP. But due to a clash of interests, a common feature of Nigerian politics, Akume’s relationship with his “godson,” Suswam, hit the rocks and he allied himself with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a political creation of President Bola Tinubu.
This critical intersection with Asiwaju Tinubu at that point was what eventually cemented his relationship with the President, both being members of Class 1999 of State Governors, though of different political parties at the time.
Against the run of play, Akume found his way back to the Senate in 2011 on the platform of the ACN. He also served as the minority leader of the 7th Senate.
By 2013, the political atmospherics had changed significantly with some opposition parties teaming up to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), which challenged for power at the federal level and won in the 2015 presidential election, ousting the then President Goodluck Jonathan.
Being the leader of the ACN in the state, naturally made Akume transmute into the leader of the APC in the state. He was re-elected to the Senate in 2015 for a third term on the platform of a third different political party, the APC. According to key stakeholders in the state, Senator Akume offered the party’s gubernatorial ticket to Samuel Ortom, who triumphed to become a two-term Governor of the state – defecting from APC to PDP midway into his first term, taking the APC gubernatorial mandate along with him.
Akume failed in his bid to return to the Senate in 2019 but was appointed Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari. He, however, regained the political control of Benue State in the 2023 general elections. Though not on the ballot, he is credited with being the driver of how APC bounced back as the ruling party in the state, demolishing the PDP in almost all the elections – from the House of Assembly to the House of Representatives and Senate to the governorship seat.
Senator Akume was one of the first key appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he assumed office as the SGF on June 7, 2023.
