The former Zonal Anchor of the APC/Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. Elton Onwu, has explained that President Bola Tinubu made the appointments into the board of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and not the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Honourable Benjamin Kalu.
Onwu was reacting to recent comments by the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South East, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, which claimed that SEDC board “appointees are unqualified”.
In a statement Sunday, Onwu described Arodiogbu’s claims as “grossly misleading” and “baseless.”
The APC stalwart who expressed disappointment over Arodiogbu’s assertion, said “Chief Emeka Wogu, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, and Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, a two-time former Speaker of a State House of Assembly, were more than qualified for their respective positions.”
He also challenged Arodiogbu to produce evidence to support his claim that Wogu and Ohajuruka were personal aides of Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps.
“They are not personal aides of the Deputy Speaker,” Onwu clarified.
Furthermore, Onwu disputed Arodiogbu’s account of a stakeholders’ meeting where names were chosen, without mentioning Kalu’s name. “This is suspicious, to say the least,” Onwu noted.
Onwu also corrected Arodiogbu’s claim that late Senator Ifeanyi sponsored the SEDC bill.
“This is a blatant falsehood. The actual SEDC bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Kalu, was received by the Senate with the number HB626 and was assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“The list of nominees approved by President Tinubu reflected a diverse representation from the five states of the South East, Onwu added.
Onwu noted that Arodiogbu’s allegations against Kalu were not only baseless but also misleading.
“It’s clear that Arodiogbu is trying to malign Kalu’s character and undermine his efforts to develop the South East.
“Surprisingly, Arodiogbu does not seem to know that the Deputy Speaker does not possess the constitutional powers to make nominations to the board of any government agency, including the SEDC. This responsibility lies solely with the Presidency.
“Therefore, it is absurd to suggest that Kalu could have hijacked a list compiled by the Presidency. “Arodiogbu’s claims are not only false but also laughable,” Onwu said.
