Sir: When the politics of how the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) performed spectacularly in the last general election across the federation is placed in proper perspectives, certain names must be mentioned for their individual roles that combined to give collective victory to the party.
There is the political wizardry of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, APC‘s national chairman, who brought his wealth of mavericks to bear in mobilising party members and supporter’s to victory. There is also the magnificent political war chest of President Bola Tinubu, whose arsenal of sound strategy and the capacity to galvanise, rallied the party to an expected end.
Then there must be an unequivocal mentioning of the political legendary of Senator George Akume, the behemoth from Benue, who gave APC a gift so abundant that the party couldn’t have done without. For a man who has been governor for two consecutive terms in Benue leaving behind indelible footprints before proceeding to the Senate in another bid to serve his people, the brand new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who was Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in the erstwhile President Muhammadu Buhari dispensation showed recently that his wealth of experience could yield needed results when need be at any point of the political game filled with intrigues.
After leaving office in 2007 as governor, he has acted under the confidence of majority of Benue people to suggest his predecessors till recent election, producing Senator Gabriel Suswam and erstwhile Governor Samuel Ortom in successive order. Though he was later to fall apart with the duo of Suswam and Ortom due to reasons deeper than meets a cursory eye, his recent resurgence that delivered the state to the political coffers of APC is a lesson in political brinkmanship. After taking a toll of the recent general election, APC’s Rev. Father Hyacient Alia won the gubernatorial election in Benue with a landslide, almost every National Assembly seat from Benue and a near clean sweep of the Benue State House of Assembly.
The role of the SGF has proven over time to be an important position that propels effective functioning of the presidency and the entire Federal Government. This position requires a public servant who parades a wealth of experience in government and an intellectual background capable of polishing the output of the governance project. Akume has a robust intellectual background. Additionally, he would be bringing into the Tinubu presidency an expansive political experience spanning state administration, legislative exposure and now serving out as minister of the federation.
Having justified the confidence reposed in him throughout his political trajectory, there is no doubt that Akume would dispose of his responsibilities as SGF with utmost sense of dedication. The party and Nigerians would better for it.
Adams Abonu, a development journalist and pro-democracy activist, wrote from Asokoro, Abuja.
