Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has urged Northern Region lawmakers to wait until 2031 before running for president.
Akume made the plea during his remarks at a two-day Interactive Season on Government-Citizen Engagement on Tuesday in Kaduna.
The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation organised the event under the theme “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity.”
The SGF praised the foundation for creating a forum where citizens and the government could discuss methods to improve governance, democracy, and development.
He stated that the government of President Bola Tinubu had spent two years and two months, adding that its achievements were fundamental and remarkable.
The SGF said, “Tinubu promised impartiality in governance, and he has done that without breaking the promise.
“There is a need to encourage someone who is doing well so that he can do more.
“There is a lot of misinformation in some aspects of the media.
“Tinubu has strengthened the security architecture in the country and revitalised agriculture with progressive initiatives.
“We have witnessed intervention that led to a reduction in prices of food produce and improved food security and infrastructure across the country.”
Akume mentioned that Tinubu was on course to take Nigeria to the promised land, adding, “I will urge politicians from the Northern Region to wait till 2031.
“Do not join a group that will stagnate the various developments achieved by President Tinubu.
“The president had positively touched all parts of the country and every citizen.
“The removal of fuel subsidy has now provided more funds to the government at the sub-national levels to carry out huge projects and deliver quality dividends of democracy.”
Akume noted that the Renewed Optimism Agenda was not a catchphrase but rather a commitment to restoring optimism in all regions of the country.
He discussed some of his accomplishments in diplomacy and foreign policy, transportation, job creation, education, tax reforms, local government autonomy, national security, sports, the war on corruption, peace, and stability, among others.
Akume added, “Tinubu has laid a foundation stone for New Nigeria through visionary leadership and commitment to bring dividends of democracy to all citizens and regions of the country without bias.
“Tinubu has appointed so many people from the Northern Region to work with him, and they are doing well.
“The narrative that the North is not carried alone is not true.
“The Super Highway from Sokoto to Bagary is longer than that of Lagos-Calabar.
“However, the contract for the road, from Akwanga through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and other parts of the Northern Region, will soon be awarded.
He emphasised that with the various developments in two years and two months by Tinubu, patriotic politicians should jettison their ambition for the presidency till 2031.
Akume added that the 2027 election should not be in their minds, saying, “This is because Tinubu has done so well and will continue in that line to better the lot of the citizens and the country.”
The event brought together all appointees in the Tinubu administration from the Northern region of the country to interact with the citizens, including the agency’s Managing Director, Malam Ali M. Ali.
