SEDC: Gov Hope Uzodinma, House Of Reps Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu Fight Dirty Over Tinubu’s Appointments.
Ekwutosblog has gathered that the reshuffling of nominees for the South East Development Commission (SEDC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has exposed a brewing power struggle between Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.
On Friday, President Tinubu announced the initial list of SEDC board nominees, with Hon. Emeka Atuma named as Chairman. However, in a surprising turn, a revised list was released on Saturday, replacing Atuma with Barrister Emeka Nworgu, PhD, as Chairman. This abrupt change has sparked speculation about a tug-of-war over the influential appointments.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the original list was heavily influenced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the South East, which is aligned with Governor Uzodinma. Uzodinma reportedly endorsed Atuma and other nominees, signaling his sway in regional political affairs.
However, Deputy Speaker Kalu, also from the South East, allegedly lobbied for significant changes to the list, pushing his preferred candidates. “There’s a supremacy battle going on. The initial list was submitted by Gov. Uzodinma and the APC South East leadership. But Benjamin Kalu influenced changes to include his own candidates,” a source familiar with the developments disclosed.
The revised appointments favor Kalu’s camp, sidelining several stakeholders aligned with Uzodinma. The new list includes Barrister Emeka Nworgu as Chairman, Stanley Ohajuruka as Executive Director of Finance, Clifford Ogbede as Executive Director, and Toby Okechukwu, Kalu’s Chief of Staff, as Executive Director of Projects. Meanwhile, nominees such as Anthony Ugbo, Obinna Obiekweihe, and Dr. Daniel Ikechukwu Ugwuja were replaced.
Observers suggest that the swift reshuffle highlights deeper political maneuvering within the APC. The changes have drawn attention to
