GEORGE AKUME: A POLITICAL GENERAL IRREPLACEABLE BY OPPORTUNISTIC CORPORAL – Tilley Gyado
*Agada’s Inauguration as NASC Board Chairman, A Resounding Endorsement Echoes for Akume Amid Political Headwinds
By Morgan Adikwu
In politics, where many rise and fall with the tide of public opinion and internal intrigues, there remain a few who stand like ancient iroko trees — rooted, resilient, and revered. One such figure is Senator Dr. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), whose political legacy and national relevance recently earned glowing recognition from elder statesman and Second Republic Senator, Jack Tilley Gyado, OFR.
Speaking at a grand reception held in Abuja to honor the inauguration of Comrade Austin Agada as the Board Chairman of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Senator Gyado declared unequivocally, “George Akume is a political general that is irreplaceable by an opportunistic corporal.” His metaphor echoed through the gathering like a gong summoning conscience, drawing admiration from a cross-section of Nigeria’s political elite.
Senator Gyado, in the ranks of Nigeria’s most respected statesmen, likened Akume’s influence to that of the late Elder Edwin Clark — an elder with an unbroken bond with his people, institutions, and the republic. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a gubernatorial classmate of Akume,” he noted, “and being a shrewd political strategist, PBAT cannot be swayed by malicious cynics peddling sentimental crusades aimed at displacing Akume.”
Indeed, replacing Akume — a seasoned statesman with far-reaching networks and a record of purposeful service — would be akin to sending a boy to do a man’s job. It’s a misplaced ambition that borders on sacrilege.
Yet, even as accolades pour in, shadowy figures hiding behind fictitious groups and fraudulent signatures have attempted to stir controversy, calling for Akume’s suspension. These faceless agitators, operating like wolves in sheep’s clothing, reek of political betrayal and a gross display of ingratitude. Their actions remind one of the proverbial man who, after crossing the river, kicks away the canoe.
Let it be said loud and clear: the call for Akume’s suspension is nothing but political rascality coated in hypocrisy. It is an orchestrated mischief choreographed from familiar corners of Benue State politics, driven by unbridled ambition, envy, and a desperate thirst for relevance. This act of political indiscipline undermines the very soul of loyalty and betrays the trust reposed in leadership.
Senator Akume, a man with a towering legacy, has not only steered the Tinubu administration with wisdom and poise but also played a stabilizing role in the All Progressives Congress (APC). From his days as Governor of Benue State to his current role at the heart of Nigeria’s executive architecture, Akume’s dedication to national service has been unrelenting. To now contemplate his suspension based on an unconnected suspected financial malfeasance and innuendo is like throwing mud at the sun — it does more harm to the thrower.
It was in the spirit of this truth that the elder statesman, Senator Gyado, one of the few privileged Nigerians who knows all the political forests, passionately stated that criminal liability is personal and cannot be transferred. The principle of personal liability in criminal law means that no one can be held liable for a crime committed by another person.
Senator George Akume is more than a title-holder — he is a legacy bearer. To contemplate replacing him with a political corporal is to gamble national stability for personal ambition. Nigeria cannot afford that luxury. And President Tinubu, himself a veteran of political warfare, surely knows that you don’t pull your best general off the battlefield in the middle of a war. And that it is unwise to swap a lighthouse for a candle in the storm. Akume’s strategic grasp of national dynamics, negotiation prowess, and political capital have made him a cornerstone in the Tinubu administration.
Meanwhile, Comrade Austin Agada’s elevation to the chairmanship of NASC is itself a fitting tribute to the brand of leadership Akume nurtures. Agada, the vibrant and intellectually astute APC Chairman in Benue State, was inaugurated at the Agricultural Research Council Headquarters by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, on behalf of President Tinubu.
The ceremony, graced by ministers including Adegboyega Oyetola of the Marine and Blue Economy and Alhaji Idi Mukhtar of Livestock Development, revealed the trust reposed in Agada. The new board chairman was tasked with aligning NASC’s mission with the Renewed Hope agenda — ensuring food security, improving seed quality, and transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
At a grand reception hosted at the SGF’s residence, dignitaries from all walks of life — National Assembly members, traditional rulers, party stalwarts, clergy, business moguls — turned out in their numbers to celebrate Agada’s feat. Their presence bore proof not just to Agada’s growing influence, but also to the respect and affection the APC family and the nation hold for Akume.
Senator Tilley Gyado’s charge to Agada was clear: replicate at NASC the electoral victories you engineered for the APC, from the presidency to the grassroots. “We expect results,” Gyado stated, “not rhetoric. NASC must become a national pride under your watch.”
The torch now passes from one worthy hand to another. While Akume remains the political general at the helm, Agada carries a new mandate — to fertilize Nigeria’s food security architecture with vision and vigour.
As for the agents of discord and those sponsoring calls for Akume’s suspension, the writing is on the wall. Their cloak-and-dagger tactics will not withstand the light of truth. One cannot sow treachery and hope to harvest trust. Nigerians know their heroes, and George Akume remains one.
For every patriotic Nigerian, now is the time to rise in defense of statesmanship, of character, of loyalty. Akume’s political journey is not just a tale of survival, but of stewardship. His leadership is a national asset too costly to gamble with.
Let us then rally around men and women who have shown capacity and fidelity. Let us protect the generals among us from the antics of the political corporals with bloated egos and empty credentials.
In the end, history will remember not the noise of detractors, but the deeds of visionaries. And George Akume will be remembered — not just as SGF, not just as a former Governor, Senator, or party leader — but as the irreplaceable political general of our time. And for the sake of history, for the sake of progress, and for the sake of justice — let us not trade gold for gravel.
