George Akume
George Akume (; born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the current and 21st Secretary to the Government of the Federation, appointed by President Bola Tinubu. He served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023. He was the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2019. 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. 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 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. Early life and education
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. Political career

Career in state government
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. 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. 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. Career in national government
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). See also
List of governors of Benue State

References

1953 births
Living people
Nigerian Roman Catholics
Governors of Benue State
Members of the Senate (Nigeria)
People from Benue State
All Progressives Congress politicians
Peoples Democratic Party state governors of Nigeria
21st-century Nigerian politicians
University of Ibadan alumni
Secretary to the government federation of Nigeria