South East Development Commission (SEDC) is facing mounting criticism from prominent stakeholders across the region, amid accusations of incompetence, lack of vision, and failure to deliver meaningful development for the South East.
Despite reportedly receiving billions of naira in federal allocations, critics say the commission has failed to provide transparent accounts of its logistics and operational spending, while leaving no visible projects or measurable impact on the lives of people in the region. This has fueled widespread concern that funds earmarked for regional growth may have been diverted to serve private and political interests.
*Igbo Community Association FCT Rejects SEDC Explanations*
The Igbo Community Association FCT has strongly dismissed the explanations offered by the Managing Director of the SEDC, Mr. Mark Okoye, describing the commission as a body that has strayed completely from its founding purpose.
The association, which represents South Easterners living in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, accused the commission of operating more as a patronage vehicle than a genuine development institution.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the President General, Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, expressed frustration over what he described as a total absence of direction and deliverables.
> “We don’t even know what the plans of the SEDC are. There is no clear roadmap, no visible projects, nothing to show. It has simply become a means to settle the boys. We, the South Easterners, will not accept that,” Ezenekwe stated.
His remarks reflect growing anger among South East stakeholders, many of whom say the commission has failed to justify the confidence and resources entrusted to it.
*Igbo Renaissance Union Delivers Scathing Verdict*
The criticism intensified during the inaugural meeting of the Igbo Renaissance Union (IRU), where its President, Dr. Philip Ukonu, delivered a blistering assessment of the SEDC leadership.
Dr. Ukonu accused the commission of gross negligence and a clear inability to manage the sensitive regional mandate assigned to it. He described the SEDC as a “jamboree agency”, arguing that its operations have fallen far below public expectations and that its continued existence in its current form amounts to a grave injustice to the South East.
According to Ukonu, the failure of the commission was apparent from its inception. He said the inaugural composition of the SEDC revealed an institution filled with political loyalists, conflicting interests, and individuals more interested in sharing benefits than delivering development.
He further described the commission as a fraudulent arrangement masquerading as a development agency, accusing its leadership of criminal negligence, moral bankruptcy, and a complete betrayal of the South East mandate.
Allegations of Waste Amid Abandoned Projects
Dr. Ukonu also referenced growing reports across the region alleging that once billions of naira were released, the commission descended into what he described as a full-scale jamboree. According to him, public funds were allegedly squandered on luxury travels, high-profile conferences, and social indulgences, while critical infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, and economic revitalisation projects were left unattended.
He warned that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, now carries direct moral and political responsibility to intervene decisively. Ukonu stressed that failure to immediately dismantle and reconstitute the SEDC would amount to endorsing waste, patronage, and the continued marginalisation of the South East.
According to him, anything short of a comprehensive overhaul would permanently erode public trust and turn the commission into a national symbol of elite deception and regional sabotage.
Only a complete restructuring, Ukonu argued, would position the SEDC to deliver results comparable to what the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has achieved in its region.
> “The South East deserves real development, not excuses, incompetence, or political settlements,” Ukonu stressed.
As public scrutiny intensifies, the South East Development Commission stands at a critical crossroads. Stakeholders insist that the agency must either begin to justify its existence through clear actions, transparency, and visible projects—or risk outright rejection by the very people it was established to serve.
