“Tinubu’s Non-Interference In Osun Election Shows Commitment To Democracy” — SGF Akume Says “Use Nigeria’s Diversity To Build, Not Divide”

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has described President Bola Tinubu’s alleged non-interference in the recently concluded Osun State governorship election as evidence of his commitment to democracy and the independence of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
Akume said the President’s decision to allow the electoral process to proceed without undue influence demonstrated what democratic governance should represent and contrasted favourably, in his view, with practices witnessed in the past.
The SGF spoke on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the national headquarters of the City Boy Movement in Abuja, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Yomi Odunuga.
“The President never bothered to intervene in the electoral process that was recently concluded in Osun State. That is what democracy should be about. It is way better than what used to happen in the past,” Akume said.
The August 15 governorship election returned incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party for another term after he polled 511,067 votes.
Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress finished second with 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji prevailed in 11.
Akume’s remarks came on the same day Adeleke visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa and publicly thanked him for what the governor also described as allowing a free and fair election to take place.
Beyond the Osun election, the SGF said Tinubu’s approach to governance reflected a determination to strengthen democratic institutions while pursuing reforms intended to rebuild the Nigerian economy.
He cited what he described as progress in taxation, education, healthcare, agriculture, water resources and women empowerment as examples of the administration’s wider reform programme.
On taxation, Akume pointed to ongoing efforts towards a unified tax system, saying the reforms were aimed at creating a more efficient and transparent fiscal environment.
He also cited interventions through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as evidence of the administration’s efforts in the education sector, while pointing to the establishment and expansion of specialised hospitals as part of improvements in healthcare delivery.
According to the SGF, the Federal Government has also recorded progress in agriculture, water resources and other strategic sectors, with Tinubu remaining focused on building what he described as a stronger and more prosperous country.
Akume further stressed the importance of women empowerment and other government programmes designed to expand opportunities, improve livelihoods and promote inclusive development.
He urged Nigerians not to allow the country’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity to become a source of division.
“This is a huge country with diverse people. We should not turn this diversity and pluralism into negativity. We should use these to build our country in a positive way,” he said.
The SGF maintained that the Federal Government had made significant progress in its efforts to move the country forward and argued that Tinubu was discharging his constitutional responsibilities across critical sectors.
Addressing members of the City Boy Movement, Akume described the organisation as important to the administration’s communication and mobilisation efforts and urged its members to remain focused.
“Never look back and don’t allow anyone to deceive you. You are adequately positioned to communicate the achievements of this administration to the people,” he said.
He also called on Nigerians to support initiatives aimed at strengthening national unity, development and democratic consolidation.
“You are doing the right thing. We love our country. This is the time to begin to build and it is precisely what you are doing. This is our country,” Akume added.
The SGF said Nigeria’s democratic institutions, diversity and human and natural resources could be harnessed to build a more united, prosperous and resilient country.
In his welcome remarks, Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Shoga Francis, thanked Akume for visiting the organisation’s national headquarters and described the visit as demonstrating his commitment to engaging young Nigerians and grassroots stakeholders.
Francis reaffirmed the movement’s support for Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying it planned to expand its mobilisation structure across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and its diaspora networks.
He disclosed that the organisation intends to mobilise 10 million young Nigerians through a nationwide membership drive ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“As a movement, we are determined to work tirelessly across the 36 states of the federation, the FCT, and our diaspora structures to mobilise Nigerians, particularly young people, towards a decisive and overwhelming victory for Mr President in the 2027 general elections,” he said.
“In doing so, we have decided to mobilise 10 million young Nigerians through our membership drive, which we will be demonstrating.”
Francis said the initiative was intended to create a broad network capable of engaging communities and communicating the policies, programmes and achievements of the administration.
He added that the movement’s objectives went beyond electoral mobilisation to include citizen engagement, responding to public concerns and encouraging what he described as informed and responsible participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
According to him, the organisation will continue expanding its membership registration and grassroots structures down to ward and polling-unit levels while promoting peaceful mobilisation and national unity.
The movement also reiterated its intention to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections and said it was working towards what it described as a massive electoral mandate for the President.
A major highlight of the visit was the conferment on Akume of the position of Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the City Boy Movement.
The organisation said the honour was in recognition of the SGF’s contributions to the Renewed Hope Agenda and his engagement with young Nigerians in national development.
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