Abuja Office Rental Cost Sparks Question from Orji Kalu Regarding SEDC's Pricing Policy

The Senate Committee that oversees the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has questioned the commission’s leadership over a failure to account for more than N4 billion of its 2025 budget.

The inquiry was held when the SEDC’s Managing Director, Mark Okoye, and his team appeared before the committee.

Okoye was accompanied by Sylvester Okonkwo, a former Chief of Staff to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to explain the commission’s financial activities for the year.

Budget documents show that the SEDC was allocated N16.6 billion for 2025 operations.

Senator Orji Kalu, representing the Abia North Senatorial District, asked about the remaining balance in the commission’s account and how the funds had been spent.

He said, “We will not accept any excuses, regardless of your background. My responsibility is to fulfill my duties, and we, as parliamentarians, must fulfill ours. I do not care how you came to hold this position, but the constitution has entrusted us with a role to ensure you operate within the laws of Nigeria.”

“My question is this: you have received N16.6 billion, how much is left in your account?”

Okoye replied that the commission had between N11.5 billion and N12 billion still available, implying that over N4 billion had been allocated to operational expenses.

“Based on the last information provided to me, the SEDC should have around N11.5 to N12 billion in its account,” he asserted.

However, Kalu dismissed this explanation, arguing that the figure did not match the records the committee had access to or data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He requested a detailed account of the expenditures.

He added, “In this committee, we have the means to trace where funds have been spent and where they are held. These individuals are not just anybody; they are government officials.”

“I have communicated with the Central Bank, and I can retrieve documents from my office right now. We have also dispatched the Auditor General to review your activities, as I am not satisfied.”

Because the managing director could not provide a thorough account of the spending, the committee instructed him to return the following Tuesday with complete documentation detailing the utilization of the funds.

“We are not pleased with your performance; this is not the standard expected from someone who claims expertise like you do. I am quite disappointed, and this committee shares that sentiment,” Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, said.

“We are giving you one week to return and present the full truth regarding this matter because you are wasting our time. We expect to see you back here next Tuesday,” he added.

The senator also claimed that documents available to the committee indicated that the commission spends N153 million each year for a modest office in Abuja, even though its main headquarters is in Enugu.

“You maintain a tiny office here in Abuja and are paying N153 million for a single room. This committee is aware of it,” Kalu said.

“You’re engaging with individuals who have progressed further than you believe. This is why I’m cautioning you; let’s not continue this farce here. I want to protect you from a potential issue,” the senator remarked.

The SEDC is one of the newest regional development commissions created by the Bola Tinubu administration to address developmental challenges in the South‑East geopolitical zone.

President Tinubu signed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill into law in 2024, and the commission’s board was inaugurated in February 2025, making it less than two years old.

The commission was established to promote infrastructure improvement, economic advancement, and social progress across the five South‑East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. Its responsibilities include the reconstruction and restoration of roads, homes, and other infrastructure damaged by the Nigerian civil war; addressing ecological and environmental issues; fostering industrial growth; supporting agriculture; attracting investment; and generating employment opportunities in the region.

The formation of the SEDC was largely welcomed by political figures, civil society organizations, and stakeholders in the South‑East, many of whom saw it as a long‑awaited measure to counteract decades of perceived neglect, infrastructure shortcomings, and developmental difficulties in the area.

For a commission still in its early stages and tasked with earning public trust, a lack of clear documentation regarding expenditures could jeopardize confidence among lawmakers, stakeholders, and residents of the South‑East, who expect the agency to implement concrete development initiatives.