Ben Kalu not responsible for establishment of S/East Devt Commission – Onoh

President Bola Tinubu’s former campaign spokesman in the South East, Dr. Josef Onoh, has flayed the ascribing of the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.  

Onoh said that the credit should rather go to President Tinubu under whose administration the SEDC and similar commissions such as the North West Development Commission (NWDC) were made possible.

He said that it was ridiculous for unknown persons to continue to mount the rostrum to dish out blatant lies in their bids to become praise-singers, noting that whereas the pursuit for the establishment of SEDC was holistic, major tribute should rest on president Tinubu who exhibited the political will to sign the bill into law.

He traced the establishment of SEDC to the 2023 presidential campaign period when Tinubu made a courtesy visit to the then Enugu state governor and a brief meeting was held at the government house.

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“I recall former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi mentioned lack of federal government presence in the south east and our presidential candidate of the APC, now President Bola Tinubu, promised to enhance the development of the south east by creating a commission that will ensure strong federal presence in the region and fast track development. He further asked Governor Hope Uzodinma to coordinate with all the south east governors for a meeting in lagos to discuss issues affecting the south east to enable him understand the challenges of the region and how he can confront it if he wins the election.

“In attendance was the President, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Hope Uzodinma, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor Engr. Dave Umahi, Dr. Josef Onoh (myself) and Chief Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu,” Onoh recalled.

Onoh said that he was aware that in the 8th Assembly, Senator Samuel Anyanwu on June 22 2016 introduced the SEDC bill in the Senate Chamber for first reading and passed through second reading one year after in June 2017, recalling also that Senator Stella Odua reintroduced the bill back in November 2019 and was passed by the National Assembly but was not assented into law by former President Mohammadu Buhari.

He, however, said that he acknowledged the roles people such as Kalu and other members of the National Assembly played in bringing back the bill in the present 10th Assembly, but that the credit is not only for members from the south east extraction but for the entire parliamentarians in affirming the SEDC and NWDC Acts.

According to Onoh, “The South East Development Commission Bill was not an achievement of Hon Benjamin Kalu as he has been touting it to be, it was through the cooperation of the entire members of the National Assembly. It was not just members of the South East caucus, but more appreciation should go to the president and not the credit for Benjamin Kalu.

“It was President Tinubu’s plan to develop other regions, it’s so disappointing that it is only the SEDC act that they have been trying to attribute its success to only one person, whereas the North West Development Commission Act is not being ascribed to one person. The same manner, the Nigeria Delta Development Commission (NDDC) act and the North East Development Acts (NEDC) were passed and nobody made noise about them or tried to take the glory because they were collective efforts in national development.

“I find it pathetic that individuals in some quarters are now trying to personalize the SEDC as their achievement whereas it was a collective effort and before then there was an engagement with the president and he assented to it, therefore it’s not an individual story. Members of the National Assembly of all regions contributed to it, but in particular is the Chief Executive, President Bola Tinubu who assented it into law.

“It is therefore absurd for one person in the lower chamber of the National Assembly to assume glory. At this time all hands should be on deck to revitalize the economy of Nigeria rather than playing unnecessary politics. I’m shocked at the cheap politics, some characters are attempting to credit the success of the commission to the Deputy Speaker, not even to the then south east governors who have not come to claim credit for it.

“Currently, the main focus of every elected politician is to join hands and support the president in tackling the current economic challenges facing the country and not personal glorification of any politician in particular aimed at next election.”