The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) has dismissed as false the circulating rumours that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has relieved Senator George Akume of his duties as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
A statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the OSGF, Mr. Segun Imohiosen, described the reports as a fabrication and a figment of the imagination of mischief makers.
“The attention of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been drawn to rumours circulating online and in some media outlets regarding the alleged removal of Sen. George Akume, CON, by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” the statement said.
“The Office wishes to state emphatically that the information is entirely false, misleading, and lacks any basis in fact, as Mr. President has no intention of doing so,” it added.
According to Imohiosen, President Tinubu continues to have unwavering confidence in Senator Akume’s capacity to perform his statutory duties and advance the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the SGF remains actively committed to the formulation and implementation of government policies and programmes in line with the President’s vision.
“The purported removal of the SGF from office is only but a fabrication, it is a deliberate attempt by certain individuals to misinform and disinform the innocent public,” he said.
In an appeal to the public and the media, the OSGF urged news platforms to always verify information before dissemination. It warned that the spread of unverified or false reports could erode public trust and endanger the integrity of democratic institutions.
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“Spreading unverified or intentionally false narratives not only undermines public trust but also poses a threat to the integrity of our institutions,” the statement said further.
The Office also referenced an earlier clarification issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga, which had similarly refuted the claims.
“The previous press statement issued by the SA to Mr. President on Media and Strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga, resonates in no small measure the position of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on this matter,” Imohiosen said.
He concluded with a reaffirmation: “Therefore, Senator Dr. George Akume, CON, remains the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
Senator Akume, a former Governor of Benue State, was appointed SGF by President Tinubu in June 2023.
