Politically, he began as a Republican and served as Secretary of Arizona Territory as well as a delegate to several national conventions.

[1] His father moved the family to Shawnee, Kansas, in 1859 where the younger Akers attended school.

[1] Akers went to Denver, Colorado, and worked at a brickyard for three months before taking a position herding horses and mules for a business contracting with a railroad.

In January 1885, he returned to prospecting and spent two years working in the area of Tip Top, Arizona Territory.

[4] Unsuccessful this time, he took a job with the Maricopa and Phoenix and Salt River Valley Railroad when his funds ran out.

[5][7] President William McKinley nominated Akers to become Secretary of Arizona Territory on May 19, 1897, and the Senate granted confirmation on June 5.

[5] His first actions were to retain the services of the young lady who oversaw the territorial library under his predecessor and appoint Harry Tritle as his personal assistant.

[15] Akers secretary made several trips to Washington to lobby for Arizona statehood and was an advocate for construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam.

[7] With Arizona statehood, he became a supporter of Governor George W. P. Hunt although the two men had a falling out for several years before reconciling their differences.

[15] During his latter years, the former secretary lobbied to reroute the mail line of the Southern Pacific Railroad through Phoenix.