Dr. Josef Onoh, President Bola Tinubu’s former campaign spokesman in the South East, has criticized the attribution of the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
Onoh argues that the credit should instead go to President Tinubu, under whose administration the SEDC and similar commissions, such as the North West Development Commission (NWDC), were established.
He expressed disbelief that some individuals continue to make false claims in an attempt to gain praise for themselves, emphasizing that while the effort to establish the SEDC involved many, significant thanks should go to President Tinubu, who demonstrated the political will to sign the bill into law.
Onoh traced the origins of the SEDC to the 2023 presidential campaign when Tinubu visited the then Enugu State governor. He recalled, “Former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi highlighted the lack of federal government presence in the South East, and our APC presidential candidate, now President Bola Tinubu, promised to enhance development in the region by creating a commission to ensure a strong federal presence and expedite progress. He also asked Governor Hope Uzodinma to coordinate with all South East governors for a meeting in Lagos to address regional issues and understand the challenges we face.”
He recounted the attendees at that meeting, including President Tinubu, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and several governors, himself included.
Onoh noted that Senator Samuel Anyanwu originally introduced the SEDC bill in the Senate on June 22, 2016, which passed its second reading in June 2017. He also recalled that Senator Stella Odua reintroduced the bill in November 2019, which the National Assembly passed but was not signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
While he acknowledged the contributions of individuals like Kalu and others in the National Assembly to reviving the bill in the current 10th Assembly, he emphasized that credit should go to all parliamentarians, not just those from the South East.
According to Onoh, “The South East Development Commission Bill was not merely the achievement of Hon. Benjamin Kalu, as he has claimed; it resulted from the collective efforts of the entire National Assembly. The credit is not just for South East members; much of it should go to the president, not to Benjamin Kalu alone.
“It was President Tinubu’s initiative to develop all regions. It is disappointing that only the SEDC act is being attributed to one individual when similar acts, like the North West Development Commission Act, have not been personalized. The Nigeria Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and North East Development Commission (NEDC) acts were passed without anyone attempting to claim sole credit because they were collaborative efforts of national development.
“I find it troubling that some individuals are personalizing the SEDC as their personal achievement, ignoring that it was a group effort engaged by the president, who ultimately signed it into law. Members of the National Assembly from all regions contributed, but the decisive credit lies with President Bola Tinubu.
“It is absurd for one individual in the lower chamber of the National Assembly to seek glory for this accomplishment. Now is the time for all hands to unite to revitalize Nigeria’s economy rather than engage in petty politics. I am astonished by the opportunistic politics whereby some are attempting to credit the commission’s success solely to the Deputy Speaker, disregarding the contributions of the previous South East governors who have not sought recognition.
“Currently, the priority for every elected politician should be to support the president in addressing the country’s economic challenges rather than pursuing personal glorification in anticipation of the next election.”
