Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has refuted claims linking him to the race for the National Chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the report by Leadership Newspaper as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, Akume labeled the publication “a fabrication” intended to divert his attention from his responsibilities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“For the record, Senator Akume is not jostling with anyone for ... of either the APC National Chairman or any other post in the party,” the statement read.
“His main focus is to ensure he does not in any way betray the intrinsic trust that President Tinubu reposes in him, especially in delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Speaking further in response to the report, Akume reaffirmed his commitment to national service and distanced himself from any ambition for party leadership.
“I am not in a hurry to abdicate my responsibility and the task that the President of the Federal Republic has placed before me. I am a firm believer in the principle that whatever God plans for you will surely come to pass. So I can’t be in a race that I am not interested in,” he said.
While acknowledging that the North-Central zone is well-endowed with competent leaders who could assume the APC leadership if zoned there, the SGF made it clear that his current focus is on helping the Tinubu administration deliver effective governance and meaningful change to Nigerians.
The SGF’s office also called on media practitioners to adhere strictly to professional ethics, especially when reporting politically sensitive issues.
“The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is open to be contacted for verification of facts,” the statement stated.