The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zone D (comprising North Central States) has described Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), as a colossus and an enigma with great standing in the Nigerian society and beyond.
A statement by the Vice President and Zonal Secretary of the Union, Mr Chris Atsaka and Abdul S. Aji respectively, while felicitating with Akume on his 70th birthday anniversary, urged him to continue to offer selfless service to his people and the nation.
It noted that Akume represented different things to different people, given his amiable and humane disposition to issues, adding that as an astute administrator cum politician of high repute, the SGF had navigated through the civil service, rising to the top as a Permanent Secretary.
According to the Union leadership; “When he finally joined politics upon retirement from the civil service, his mien accounted for his victory to become the 3rd democratically elected governor of Benue State for two terms.
“As reward for the effective service rendered, Akume was uplifted to the Senate where he served for 3 terms. At his first attempt, he almost clinched the seat of the President of the Senate.
“His second return to the red chambers on another political platform, however, saw him serve as the Minority Leader. He may have not succeeded in his 4th attempt to return to the Senate but, he ended up as a Federal Minister, until he galvanized his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to retain power at the Center and reclaim his State; making it the 3rd successor he has installed after leaving office as governor.”
The Zone D leadership of the Union also said that Akume’s qualities and towering credentials as the political leader of the North Central, earned him the trust of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint him as SGF.
