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George Akume

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George Akume
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 June 2023
PresidentBola Tinubu
Preceded byBoss Mustapha
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs
In office
21 August 2019 – 29 May 2023
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
Succeeded byZephaniah Jisalo
Senator for Benue North-West
In office
5 June 2007 – 9 June 2019
Preceded byFred Orti
Succeeded byEmmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev
Senate Minority Leader
In office
6 June 2011 – 6 June 2015
Succeeded byGodswill Akpabio
Governor of Benue State
In office
29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007
DeputyOgiri Ajene
Preceded byDominic Oneya
Succeeded byGabriel Suswam
Personal details
Born (1953-12-27) 27 December 1953 (age 72)
PartyAll Progressives Congress (2013–present)
Other political
affiliations		Peoples Democratic Party (1998–2010)
Action Congress of Nigeria (2010–2013)
SpouseRegina Akume
Alma materUniversity of Ibadan
OccupationPolitician
Websitewww.georgeakume.com

George Akume CON ((Listenⓘ); born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the 21st and current Secretary to the Government of the Federation.[1] He served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs from 2019 to 2023, during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.[2] He was the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District between 2007 and 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]

Early life and education

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Akume obtained a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a master's degree in Labour Relations from the University of Ibadan.[4]

Political career

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Career in state government

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In 1999, Akume became governor of Benue State and served two terms of four years. In 2007, he won election 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.[6] He was chairman senate committee on army and a ranking member of senate.

Career in national government

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Akume was nominated and confirmed a minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nigeria by Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019.[7] On 2 June 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).[8]

In July 2025, Akume was tasked with leading a committee which made it so Buhari's burial would be a "statewide burial."[9]

National honours

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In May 2023, Akume was conferred Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Muhammadu Buhari.[10]

Personal life

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George Akume is married to Regina Akume, a member of the House of Representative.[11]

Projects

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tinubu Swears in George Akume as SGF". Nigeria Info, Let's Talk!. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ Ajayi, Omeiza (1 February 2022). "APC National Convention: I've no running battle with EFCC ― Akume". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Akume receives PDP defectors, assures equal opportunities in APC". The Guardian. 6 February 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Sen. George Akume". National Assembly of Nigeria. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  5. ^ a b Emmanuel, Uja; Aminu, Yusufu (28 April 2011). "Benue youths protest governorship poll result". The Nation. Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  6. ^ Okogba, Emmanuel (7 February 2025). "An Ode to Nigeria's SGF, Senator George Akume". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  7. ^ Oloyede, Clement A. (2 August 2019). "Why Buhari appointed me minister – Akume". Daily Trust. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  8. ^ Ubanagu, Makua (2 June 2023). "Meet Tinubu's SGF appointee, George Akume". The Punch. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  9. ^ Ariemu, Ogaga (15 July 2025). "Buhari's body departs UK for Nigeria". Daily Post. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Full list of 2023 National Honours recipients". The Nation. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  11. ^ Ubanagu, Makua (23 August 2023). "My husband has forgiven ex-gov Ortom, says Akume's wife". The Punch. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  12. ^ Oladipo, Adelowo (1 August 2024). "SGF Akume inaugurates water project in Niger". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
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