An All Progressives Congress (APC) faction, under the auspices of APC North Central Forum, has threatened to mobilise protesters against Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, over his lopsided appointments and the unendling rift with Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
The North-Central APC Forum, in a statement by its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, issued the threat after the Forum’s meeting in Abuja, calling on the SGF to ensure, as the leader of the party in the North Central, that the people of the zone feel the impact of his exalted office.
The APC Forum also threatened to mobilise protesters to demand his removal if he failed to take urgent steps to correct the imbalance in his appointments or refused to carry along the entire North Central geopolitical zone in appointments made by his office.
The stakeholders insisted that he must also address the lapses in his approach to leadership, which, they argued, have impacted negatively on the fortunes of the APC in the geopolitical zone.
The position of the SGF, according to the Forum, was zoned to the North-Central in line with the party’s zoning arrangement after the election of President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
The APC Forum also accused Akume of engaging in lopsided appointments to statutory positions under the Office of the SGF, alleging that Akume has been appointing mostly his Tiv brothers from Benue State since he assumed the position of SGF.
Zazzaga further urged him to take his duties seriously, and concentrate on the responsibilities instead of engaging in endless fights with the Governor of Benue State, Rev Hyacinth Alia.
“The North Central APC Forum notes with concern the failure of the SGF, Akume, to carry the entire North Central zone along since his appointment by President Tinubu in June 2023.
“Rather than carry the North Central along, Akume has been favouring his Tiv people of Benue State in the lopsided appointments he has made in the Office of the SGF. This is unacceptable and we, the North Central APC Forum, condemn this attitude and ask the SGF to correct the imbalance in appointments or face protests by the people of the North Central.
“It is on record that the position of SGF was given to the North Central in line with the zoning arrangement of the APC and as such, the current occupant of the office, Akume, is the one representing the North Central in the top echelon of the Federal Government.
“However, and unfortunately, Akume is only appointing people of the Tiv extraction of Benue State to positions within the Office of the SGF. We, the North Central APC Forum, are calling the SGF’s attention to these lopsided appointments, and we are also asking him to balance the appointments and carry the entire people of the North Central along.
“We are also calling on him to take his duties seriously, and concentrate on the responsibilities of the Office of the SGF, instead of engaging in endless fights with the Governor of Benue State, Rev Hyacinth Alia, which is taking much of his attention.
“We are equally urging Akume to immediately make necessary appointments to fill up vacant positions in the Office of the SGF. We are aware that there are vacant positions of SAs in the office which are yet to be filled.
“We are issuing a timely reminder to him to use those outstanding positions to balance the appointments in the Office of the SGF. This will not only correct the imbalance in the spread of appointments in the establishment, but also boost the efficiency of the Office of the SGF by bringing in competent individuals from diverse backgrounds to man key vacant positions within the OSGF.
“Besides the call to balance appointments in the Office of the SGF, the APC Forum is also putting it on record that the zone is not benefiting from Akume’s leadership. As the SGF, he is the leader of the North Central in both the party, APC, and the Federal Government, but his impact in this exalted position is not being felt by loyal party members, and the entire people of the zone.
“We are calling on the SGF to reconsider his leadership approach to ensure that the zone benefits from the Office. The APC Forum is urging the SGF to address these lapses by carrying the entire zone, and the natives of the North, along in his appointments and his approach to leadership.”
