Seven things to know about new SGF, George Akume

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed George Akume as the new Secretary of the Government of the Federation.

Akume who served as a cabinet member in the immediate past administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has come a long way with the president.

Here are seven things to know about him:

Birth 
Akume was born on 27th December 1953. He is a native of Wannune Tarka Council Area of Benue State.

Education
George Akume graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and holds a Master’s degree in Labour Relations from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State in 1978 and 1986 respectively.

• Tinubu names Gbaja Chief of Staff, picks Buhari’s minister as SGF
• Devaluation: BusinessDay report corroborates Daily Trust’s story

Politics

Akume is one of the prominent Benue politicians who has served in the capacity of a governor, senator and minister.

Ex-PDP Chieftain 

Akume contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and emerged as the Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007 (a period hen Tinubu was governor of Lagos) . He was the first Governor to have completed two terms in office in Benue State.

In 2019, he lost his senatorial seat to Senator Orke Jev of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Senate 

Akume was also elected under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Benue North West senatorial district.

He then became the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.

The former governor was the Chairman Senate Committee on Army during his political period in the Red Chamber.

Appointment Under Buhari

Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed George as the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs on 21st August 2019.

Globetrotter 

Travelling seems to be one of Senator Akume’s hubbies. He is a widely traveled man. He has travelled the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Cuba.

Other countries he travelled to include Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica, Israel, India, Brazil, Colombia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Mexico, Switzerland and Jamaica, among other countries.