From Dispatch Room
The South East Development Agenda (SEDA) has condemned what it described as personal attacks against the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, while also criticizing the unauthorized leak of an internal Senate Committee memo relating to the commission.
In a statement issued on June 7, 2026, the regional civil society organization said democratic engagement should focus on policies, institutional performance and development outcomes rather than personal attacks, political distractions and sensationalism.
SEDA expressed concern over public commentaries directed at Senator Kalu, arguing that legislative oversight of the South East Development Commission is a statutory responsibility established to ensure accountability, transparency and prudent management of public resources.
According to the organization, attempts to portray oversight activities as harassment or interference are misleading and undermine democratic governance. It maintained that the Senate Committee is performing its constitutional mandate by reviewing the commission’s activities, finances and compliance with relevant laws.
The group also condemned the circulation of what it described as confidential legislative communications, warning that leaked internal documents could distract public attention from substantive issues relating to transparency and effective service delivery.
Drawing comparisons with the experience of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), SEDA said strong oversight mechanisms are necessary to prevent the South East Development Commission from facing challenges associated with allegations of corruption, abandoned projects and financial mismanagement that have affected some intervention agencies in the past.
At the same time, the organization acknowledged concerns about the operational capacity of the commission and called on the Presidency and relevant federal authorities to expedite the release of approved budgetary allocations and statutory funds due to the SEDC.
SEDA argued that it would be difficult to fairly assess the commission’s performance without providing it with the resources required to implement development programmes across the Southeast region.
The group noted that the Southeast continues to face major infrastructure deficits, environmental challenges, youth unemployment and erosion-related problems, making the timely funding of the commission critical to regional development.
While calling for sustained oversight by the National Assembly, SEDA stressed that adequate funding and accountability should work together to ensure the success of the South East Development Commission.
The organization urged the Presidency, National Assembly, SEDC leadership, civil society groups, traditional institutions and private sector stakeholders to work collaboratively toward accelerating development and improving living standards across the Southeast.
— Newspot Nigeria
