SaharaReporters learnt from top presidential sources that Akume, a former Benue State governor, was flown to Germany and had been in the European country for five days.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has fallen ill and has been flown abroad for urgent medical treatment, SaharaReporters can report.
SaharaReporters learnt from top presidential sources that Akume, a former Benue State governor, was flown to Germany and had been in the European country for five days.
"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," one of the top sources confirmed to SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning.
SaharaReporters can report that 69-year-old Akume has not handled official assignments recently and has been represented by officials on various occasions.
On Tuesday, Akume was represented by Permanent Secretary, Special Services, OSGF, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi at the graduation 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, which had the theme, “Economic Growth and Regional Development: Strategic Options for Africa”, was part of activities lined up by the college for the graduation of its Course 31 participants.
Akume through Shinkafi noted that the African region and Nigeria, in particular, must do everything possible to ensure political and economic stability.
This, he noted, would help to gain the confidence of investors for sustainable regional development.
He identified income inequality, environmental impact, and resource allocation, vulnerability to global economic and political instability as major challenges to economic growth at national levels.
Akume served as minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.
As a Senator, he represented Benue North-West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2019.
He was also the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.