George Akume: Redefining the Politics of an Era -By Akosu Bemdoo

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness” –Martin Luther king Jr.

Senator Dr. George Akume’s political path and history would undoubtedly evoke some interesting mystery of an uncommon actor whose public deeds keeps resonanting fundamentally on contemporary political discourse since emergence on the political turf. No doubt on ingenious persona, George Akume has maintained consistent populist antecedents, ideals and feats, with legacy achievements that persistently lauds high in addition to an impressive resolute followership glowing considerably by the day. Admirers and foes alike simply call him the ‘Just George’. To him, what defines ideal leadership must be participatory, with the people as supreme gladiators and the leadership as dependable custodians of the peoples interests and realities prioritized to shape a socialist agenda and attract a productive, just and equitation society.

As a State Governor from 1999 -2007, this very tolerant political maestro created some fertile ground where political players had major stakes and control in decision making to achieve how best people and society could be governed effectively. With a brave heart he braced opposing criticisms with calmness, confidence and courage to conquer with rare and exemplary conduct of a public servant. With apocalyptic messiahnism, George Akume came caps with his Benue Advanced plan (BAP) policy where he foremostly sought to rejuvenate the agonized socio-economic status of the people. When the government adopted the PPP policy, it deliberately did so with the sole aim of creating social wealth as it began to first democratize the awards of government contracts and a creation of the middle class to reduced the gap between the poor and rich and primarily attract wealth in the hands of several Benue citizens.

The duration of his tenure witnessed a cherubic magnanimity of a leader who daily sought earnestly to liberate the impoverish conditions of his people and set them for better prospects and competitions amongst their peers in other parts of Nigeria. Progressive Akume did not also renege on developing on the gains of his predecessors as he sought to revamp existing industries in the state which had hitherto suffered either liquidation or receivership. He fervently muscled out the grand dual projects of a University Teaching Hospital and a School of Medical Sciences to complement the needed manpower for the latter. He equally built eight new General Hospitals across Local Governments with no such facilities.

With a crisp zeal for affordable education, Akume revitalized scholarships to students with a further review in increase to 300%. In agriculture, the idea of a fertilizer blending plant was conceived and effectively launched with other established agro-allied industries. The administration lifted embargo on employment as over 2000 workers were recruited with 1000 of those retrenched having their cases revisited.

Under Housing, there was the Judiciary Unit construction of Judges Quarters, the affordable Owner Occupier Housing for low income earners. Benue State had the best transport services, Benue Links LTD, transversing in virtually all nooks and crannies of the nation. The government it procured a good number of the newly introduced durable macopolo model buses to strengthen its operations.

Politically, Akume had challenged the evil merchandize of democracy and self hold-on to power by former President Obasanjo, along with like-minds colleagues and was vindicated a clear Victor for democracy, as the proposed third term amendment bill fell like a pack of cards on the Floor of the National Assembly, marking it’s total defeat. A rare and fervent democrat in the deeply murky-watered political terrain, George Akume shares deeply in the aspirations of the people. With chirpy selfishness he holds the people premium, whilst attending to their basic sundry needs. It is to this quintessential statesman that when you fight for the people, you live forever, when you fight for self you are considered dead in their hearts.
On entry into politics, George Akume had registered as a member of the defunct Congress for National Consensus (CNC) in 1998. He became Governor for two consecutive terms. Was elected a Distinguished Senator to represented Benue North-West Sensational District. In 2011, he was Overwhelmingly voted to return to the Nigerian senate where he was nominated and chosen as the Senate Minority Leader. It was acknowledged that Akume’s choice as Senate Minority Leader over likely ranking Senators like Senator Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos) was based on the significant impacts and successes the former had recorded in his party the ACN in the shortest of times. A feat considered to be strategic as it would gain the in-roads of the party into the North- Central geopolitical zone and indeed the entire North and other parts of Southern Nigeria. Indeed the subsequent successful merger of ACN alongside other frontline opposition political parties like the CPC, the ANPP and a faction of APGA to form the ruling APC was consequent upon the productive politicking of the likes of Akume of today.

Akume’s passion to see a just and egalitarian society is unparalleled. His very vast involvement in building the nation’s democracy tenaciously, but foremostly as a Nigerian has in no small measure helped in widening the frontiers of the Nigerian State. As a Federal Minister in the Cabinet of current President Muhammadu Buhari, he commands an impressive goodwill and is rightly a confidant of the President and other notable power blocs across the North and Southern divides of the nation.

Thrrough this blossoming affinity, he has attracted several sensitive Federal appointments; some Board Chairmanships or membership to Benue indigenes, even as he has vigorously pursued and ensured the successful approval of a federal institution in the state, The federal Polytechnic Wannune; amidst roads and other infrastructural benefits to boast.
In his earnest drive to aspire and successfully become the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he is seen by several power brokers within and outside the Party as a uniting factor, an epicentre of development, a team player cum ambassador of peace, a nucleus of hope, goal-getter and a successful manager of men and resources for a united, progressive, and fast productively driven democratic state.

AKOSU Bemdoo,
Journalist, Author & Public Affairs Commentator
Writes From Burumbura, Wuse 2, FCT Abuja