A prominent Igbo leader and President of Igbo Agenda, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has urged the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to give the Commission’s management adequate time and space to carry out its developmental mandate without undue interference.
Speaking at a press conference in Enugu, Okorie criticised recent allegations by the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, accusing the SEDC leadership of frivolous spending. He described the claims as premature and said the committee acted hastily without conducting proper investigations.
According to Okorie, findings from his independent inquiry showed that the office accommodation referenced by the committee was a fully furnished and equipped office complex in Abuja, contrary to claims that it was a single-room office rented at an excessive cost.
He also defended the engagement of consultants by the Commission, noting that feasibility studies and expert assessments are essential for attracting investments and implementing sustainable development projects across the South-East.
Okorie warned against actions that could undermine the Commission at its formative stage, stressing that the SEDC was established to address decades of infrastructural neglect in the region. He commended the leadership of the Commission for its strategic vision, engagement with South-East governors, and efforts to attract funding beyond federal allocations.
While reaffirming the need for transparency and accountability, the elder statesman called on the Senate Committee to exercise greater diligence and discretion in future oversight activities, insisting that the Commission should be allowed to focus on delivering tangible development to the people of the South-East.
He also praised President Bola Tinubu for establishing the SEDC, describing it as a significant step toward addressing the region’s developmental challenges.
