George Akume | |
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Secretary to the Government of the Federation | |
Assumed office 7 June 2023 | |
President | Bola Tinubu |
Preceded by | Boss Mustapha |
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs | |
In office 21 August 2019 – 29 May 2023 | |
President | Muhammadu Buhari |
Succeeded by | Zephaniah Jisalo |
Senator for Benue North-West | |
In office 5 June 2007 – 9 June 2019 | |
Preceded by | Fred Orti |
Succeeded by | Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev |
Senate Minority Leader | |
In office 6 June 2011 – 6 June 2015 | |
Succeeded by | Godswill Akpabio |
Governor of Benue State | |
In office 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007 | |
Deputy | Ogiri Ajene |
Preceded by | Dominic Oneya |
Succeeded by | Gabriel Suswam |
Personal details | |
Born | 27 December 1953 |
Political party | All Progressives Congress (2013–present) |
Other political affiliations |
|
Spouse | Regina Akume |
Residence | Abuja |
Alma mater | University of Ibadan |
Occupation | Politician |
Website |
www |
George Akume ((; born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the 21st and current )Secretary to the Government of the Federation, appointed by President Bola Tinubu. [1] He served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs during the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023. [2] He was the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2019. [3] He was also the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015. He served as the Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007. [4]
Akume was re-elected Senator for Benue North-West in the April 2011 elections, running on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria. He won another term in 2015 but lost to Senator Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev of the PDP in 2019. On 23 July 2019, President Buhari nominated Akume to serve as the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. [5]
Akume obtained a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a master's degree in Labour Relations from the University of Ibadan. He now resides in Abuja, Nigeria. [4]
In 1999, Akume became governor of Benue State and served two terms of four years. He won elections to represent the people of Benue as a senator for Benue North-West in Nigeria's senate. [4] Akume was re-elected Senator for Benue North-West in the April 2011 elections, running on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform. He polled 261,726 votes, defeating Terngu Tsegba of the PDP who won 143,354 votes. [5] He was again re-elected to the senate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. He was chairman senate committee on army and a ranking member of senate.
Akume was nominated and confirmed a minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nigeria by Muhammadu Buhari. On 2 June 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
He is married with children.