In an exclusive report, it has been revealed that Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has fallen ill and has been urgently flown abroad for medical treatment.
“Tinubu’s SGF is presently ill and is out of the country. He has been flown to Germany for urgent medical care. He’s been there for five days now,” confirmed by SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning.
According to top presidential sources, Akume, a former Benue State governor, was transported to Germany, where he has been receiving medical care for the past five days.
It’s worth noting that the 69-year-old Akume has not been handling official assignments recently and has been represented by officials on various occasions.
On Tuesday, Akume was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, at the graduation ceremony for participants of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 31 in Abuja.
Shinkafi delivered a lecture on Akume’s behalf at the event. The lecture, themed “Economic Growth and Regional Development: Strategic Options for Africa,” was part of the activities organized by the college for the graduation of its Course 31 participants.
Through Shinkafi, Akume emphasized the critical importance of ensuring political and economic stability in the African region, especially in Nigeria. This stability, he noted, would be pivotal in gaining the confidence of investors for sustainable regional development.
Furthermore, Akume identified key challenges to economic growth at the national level, including income inequality, environmental impact, resource allocation, and vulnerability to global economic and political instability.
It’s important to highlight that Senator George Akume served as the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023. Prior to that, he represented Benue North-West Senatorial District in the Senate from 2007 to 2019 and held the position of Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.