By Nwachukwu Christian
Leadership is a commitment to serve and as such entails that those at the commanding height of leadership ought to exemplify the vision, capacity, dedication and hard work. These are imbedded qualities that had endeared Senator George Akume to the position he was recently appointed to as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Akume is an accomplished intellectual, an administrator, manager, philanthropist, politician, etc., who has created impacts on the sand of time creating many impacts in public life, especially in Benue state and the country at large. He can be described as the father of politics in modern Benue state who has the interest of his people at heart.
The civil servant turned politician was the first governor of Benue state under the current uninterrupted Nigeria democratic dispensation from 1999 to 2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the history of the state, Akume till now is the first person to complete his two terms as democratically elected governor of Benue state.
From 2011 till 2015, he was elected under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Benue North West Senatorial District and became the Minority Leader of the Senate. While in the Senate, he was the Chairman of Senate Committee Army.
In 2019, he contested the Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC) but lost to Senator Orke Jev of the PDP. In recognition of his hard work to the success of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as the Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Affairs, a position he held until the exit of last administration that ushered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Having shown his hard work, vision and commitment to the party, President Tinbu appointed him as the SGF. This appointed was one the striking and strategic he has done since he assumed office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
As the new SGF, Senator Akume is one of the most experienced political leaders and technocrats of his generation. In all his career trajectory, Akume exemplifies vision, capacity and commitment to the noblest purpose that enhances, adds values and promotes the society and promotes humanity in general.
It is on this note that the appointment of SGF is timely now that the entire country is on the verge of collapse hence the need for a uniting force like Sen. Akume who has been chosen to bridge the gaps that caused divisive tendencies that had bedeviled the country.
As SGF, he is expected to use his wealth of experience gathered over time to coordinate activities of government using his office in actualising the great task ahead.
In the coming days, weeks or months, it is expected that Tinubu’s Executive Council will pick up and expectations are high regarding the office the SGF headed by Akume. Expectations are that he should bring to bear his wealth of experiences as a visionary leader who has all it takes to coordinate activities of government.
As SGF, Akume commands vision for those he is leading and as such, he is expected to ensure proper coordination of governance. With this, Tinubu’s government will achieve much in all spheres of government with proper coordination and articulation of government of policies.
Christian, a public affairs commentator, writes from Abuja