Politics
It’s Tough Job, Mustapha Tells Akume As New SGF Vows To Deliver
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, says the job of the SGF is a tough one.
Mustapha spoke after the swearing in of George Akume as the new SGF at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Mustapha advised Akume to brace up for the challenges ahead.
“This is a tough job; I wouldn’t want to mince words about that. It is an extremely important office in terms of coordination of government’s activities and also stringing government policies, programmes and projects,” Mustapha said.
“It is his responsibility to guide the government so, there is enormity. Under his office he has six permanent secretaries, so, it is a combination of five to six ministries in one place that will be reporting to him on different agencies.
“But the most important part of this office is the fact that he is the beam light of this government in terms of driving, coordination and policy formulation.
“So it is not a small job, but I am confident that he has been ably prepared and groomed for this job and I believe he will take the office a notch higher than where I am leaving it.”
Also speaking, Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, said he was elated that out of the 36 states, Benue was chosen to produce the SGF.
“I’m full of enormous joy. It is a factor of exaltation. Out of the many states, Benue is chosen and it’s one of our sons whom we are all proud of. We know his requisites; we know what he has offered in the past decades for the state and for the nation.
“We are very confident that he is again going to deliver and the nation is going to be proud that our choicest man for Benue is selected and sworn in for this great job”, he said.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has sworn in George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The swearing in ceremony took place at about 11:16 am on Wednesday at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Dignitaries, including serving and former governors, were in attendance as Akume took his oath of allegiance and oath of office.
Vice-President, Kashim Shettima; Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Governor of Kwara State; AbdulRahman Abdul Razaq, and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, were present at the brief ceremony.
Wife of the new SGF, Regina Akume, was also in attendance.
The President, on June 2, announced the appointment of Akume as the SGF and the outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff.
A former Deputy Governor of Jigawa state, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia,was named Deputy Chief of Staff.
Akume served as minority leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.
He was governor of Benue State from 1999 till 2007 — the same period Tinubu governed Lagos.
Speaking with reporters after his inauguration, Akume said he will not let the country down.
“It is an honour to be chosen to serve in this exalted position out of over 200 million Nigerians. It is a challenge to serve in line with the oaths I have taken today,” he said.
“I assure Nigerians I will do my best and I will not disappoint the president.
“I will not disappoint this country; I will not disappoint my party.”
Akume added that Nigerians “will find fulfilment in my responsibility” as he discharges his duties.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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