The appointment into the board of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has continued to draw mixed reactions as the appointee await Senate confirmation.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had last week named the SEDC Board with former Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu appointed as the Chairman and Mark Okoye, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
But a youth group under the aegis of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has kicked against the board composition, saying that it was lopsided.
It also noted that both Ebonyi and Imo States were shortchanged, adding that the appointments did not follow the enabling Act of the SEDC.
COSEYL expressed its reservations in a statement signed by its President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru, saying that the board appointments should be reviewed.
According to the group, the lopsided appointment in SEDC should not stand because no person from Imo and Ebonyi States were among the five Executive Directors with portfolios.
“The establishment of the SEDC is a good move by Mr. President but a situation where one person hijack the process and nominates only his aides into the SEDC board will end up destroying the good intentions of the president,” the group said.
According to COSEYL the SEDC board members as “as presently constituted were all nominated by the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu”, adding that stakeholders of the South East zone were not carried along.
Presisent Tinubu had cancelled the initial appointments no sooner than it was announced and replaced it with new list having Dr Emeka Wogu(Abia) as the Board Chairman, Hon. Mark C. Okoye(Anambra), Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
The Executive Director for Finance is Stanley Ohajuruka(Abia),Toby Okechukwu(Enugu ) is the Executive Director, Projects, while Chief Sylvester Okonkwo(Anambra) is the Executive Director, Corporate Services.
COSEYL argued that the five Executive Directors with portfolios should have been allotted to each of the five component states of the SEDC.
“The Deputy Speaker deceived the president into announcing a lopsided appointment in which five of his personal staff were appointed executive directors with portfolios while Imo and Ebonyi states were left behind.
“It smacks of corruption for one person to nominate those under his employ to run a government agency meant for the development of the entire South East States.
“We appeal to Mr President to review the nominations as presently constituted and reconstitute the Board so that Imo, Ebonyi States and stakeholders will be carried along in compliance with the acts establishing the commission,” the youth leaders said.
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