Tinubu's appointees into SEDC equitable, balanced

Nigeria President and Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Bola Ahmed Tinubu looks on during the ECOWAS 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government in Abuja on December 15, 2024. West African leaders from the regional group ECOWAS met on December 15, 2024 for a summit with three nation members led by military governments on the brink of quitting the bloc.
Before the Economic Community of West African States meeting, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger reaffirmed as “irreversible” their decision a year ago to quit the group, which they condemned as subservient to ex-colonial ruler France (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been applauded for appointing people with diverse backgrounds from the South East.

Former Zonal Anchor South East, Election Planning and Monitoring, APC/Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council 2023, Elton Onwu, in a statement, faulted the notions held in certain quarters that the appointments were skewed in favour of a particular state in the South East geopolitical zone.

Onwu in a statement on Sunday in Abuja particularly described claims by the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) South East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu on SEDC in that direction as grossly misleading to the citizenry in the zone.

Onwu referred to the appointment of Hon. Mark C. Okoye, Managing Director (MD) (Anambra); Dr. Emeka Wogu, Chairman (Abia); Sylvester Okonkwo, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs (Anambra); Toby Okechukwu, Executive Director, Projects (Enugu); Anthony Agbo, Executive Director, Infrastructure (Ebonyi) ; Dr. Clifford Ogbede, Executive Director, Agriculture (Imo); Stanley Ohajuruka, Executive Director, Finance (Abia) to buttress his assertion that Tinubu acted in a just and fair manner.

He added that the inclusion of Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah (Enugu), Hon. Okey Ezenwa (Anambra); Chief Hyacinth Ikpor (Ebony); Chidi Echeazu (Anambra); Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu (Imo); Nasiru Usman (North West); Hamman Adamu AG Kumo (North East); Edward David Onoja (North Central); Orure Kufre Inima (South-South); Daniel Akwari (Abia) and Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma (South West) on the SEDC board speaks volume of the representative nature of the appointments.

He said contrary to an alleged claim by Arodigbo, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu does not possess the constitutional powers to make nominations to the board of any government agency, including the SEDC.

This APC chieftain pointed out that is absurd to suggest that Kalu who is the actual sponsor of the SEDC bill, received by the Senate with the number HB626 and assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could have hijacked a list compiled by the Presidency.

He said instead of spreading misinformation and maligning Kalu’s character, Arodigbo should focus on supporting the young leader’s legislative efforts to bring democracy dividends to the South East.

“In fact, Deputy Speaker’s exceptional leadership qualities and his legislative sagacity have endeared many people to APC in the South East already and APC will not lose voters in the South East. This tempo of support for President Tinubu must be sustained for the greater good of Ala Igbo and Nigeria in general,” he noted.

He called on Arodigbo to focus on uniting the party rather than championing acts capable of destroying it.