APGA NATIONAL CHAIRMAN BACKS MARK OKOYE, CALLS FOR CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SEDC.
Abuja, Nigeria — The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa (Ezenwata Umuchu), has reaffirmed strong support for the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye II , while calling for constructive engagement with the Commission as it advances its mandate of rebuilding and transforming the South East region.
Reacting to discussions arising from the recent Senate Committee oversight session on the Commission’s 2025 budget implementation, Barr. Ezeokenwa described legislative oversight as an integral component of democratic governance and institution-building. He noted that the observations and queries raised by the Senate Committee, including issues relating to specific expenditure items, accountability mechanisms, and budget implementation processes, should be viewed within the context of strengthening transparency and public confidence in the Commission.
The APGA National Chairman expressed confidence in the capacity of the Commission’s leadership to provide all necessary clarifications and documentation required by the Senate Committee. He stated that transparency and accountability remain indispensable pillars for the success of any public institution and emphasized that constructive scrutiny ultimately contributes to institutional credibility.
Barr. Ezeokenwa, however, cautioned against attempts to misrepresent the Commission’s mandate or politicize legitimate development initiatives. He urged stakeholders, commentators, and members of the public to engage the SEDC constructively, arguing that meaningful discourse should focus on the Commission’s statutory objectives, long-term development strategy, and expected outcomes rather than isolated interpretations of budget line items.
According to him, the South East Development Commission was established under the South East Development Commission Act of 2024 not merely as an agency for project distribution but as a strategic regional reconstruction and economic transformation authority with responsibility for rebuilding infrastructure, stimulating economic growth, promoting regional integration, and repositioning the South East as a globally competitive investment destination.
He explained that the Commission has articulated an ambitious but achievable vision of transforming the South East into a $200 billion regional economy within the next decade, targeting the 2035–2036 horizon. This vision, he said, is anchored on infrastructure renewal, industrialization, private sector-led development, innovation, investment promotion, venture capital attraction, regional value-chain integration, and the creation of a globally competitive economic ecosystem.
Central to this transformation strategy is the proposed South East Investment Corporation (SEIC), which is designed to serve as a catalytic investment platform capable of mobilizing substantial long-term capital for the region. According to Barr. Ezeokenwa, the initiative aims to facilitate a capital mobilization framework projected at approximately $150 billion while building a structured balance sheet target of $1 billion within eight years through the Southeast Investment Conference platform and related investment mechanisms.
The APGA National Chairman observed that some of the budget components currently attracting public attention must be understood within the broader context of this strategic transformation agenda. He explained that expenditures relating to feasibility studies, project development, institutional planning, investment promotion, innovation ecosystems, stakeholder engagement, diaspora mobilization, financial advisory services, branding, and strategic communications are foundational investments required for attracting large-scale capital and building globally competitive institutions.
He noted that no serious development institution can attract multilateral financing, international investors, sovereign wealth participation, or large-scale private capital without undertaking the preparatory work necessary to establish credible and bankable projects. According to him, rail corridors, industrial parks, integrated energy systems, logistics hubs, and regional economic corridors do not emerge spontaneously but are products of deliberate planning, technical studies, institutional coordination, and strategic capital mobilization.
To reinforce his position, Barr. Ezeokenwa cited several global examples of successful institution-led development. He referenced the Tennessee Valley Authority in the United States, which began with comprehensive regional planning before fundamentally transforming the economic fortunes of a vast region. He also cited Nigeria’s North East Development Commission, which first established recovery frameworks and institutional structures before embarking on large-scale reconstruction interventions.
The APGA Chairman further pointed to the Singapore Economic Development Board, which focused extensively on policy design, investor engagement, legal frameworks, industrial master plans, and international investment promotion before Singapore emerged as one of the world’s leading economic hubs. Similarly, he referenced the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority, which invested significantly in institutional architecture, regulatory systems, investor confidence-building measures, and global branding before the city achieved its current status as a major international financial centre.
“No serious economic hub begins with concrete alone; it begins with credibility, vision, planning, and institutional architecture,” Barr. Ezeokenwa stated.
He stressed that while citizens have every right to demand accountability from public institutions, there is an equally important responsibility to appreciate the strategic foundations required for long-term development. According to him, constructive engagement should seek to strengthen institutions through informed discourse rather than undermine public confidence in initiatives that are still in their foundational stages.
Barr. Ezeokenwa maintained that rebuilding the South East requires more than isolated projects. It requires a coordinated regional framework capable of integrating infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, technology, finance, logistics, and human capital development into a coherent economic strategy.
“A $200 billion regional economy will not be built through fragmented interventions or short-term optics. It will be achieved through strategic planning, disciplined execution, institutional credibility, private sector participation, capital mobilization, and regional collaboration,” he stated.
The APGA National Chairman therefore called on Ndi Igbo, state governments, traditional institutions, the private sector, financial institutions, professional bodies, youth groups, civil society organizations, and members of the diaspora to support the Commission’s efforts while continuing to demand transparency and accountability through constructive channels.
He reiterated APGA’s confidence in the leadership of Mr. Mark Okoye and the management team of the South East Development Commission, expressing optimism that the institution will continue to strengthen its systems, address legitimate concerns raised through oversight processes, and remain focused on delivering its mandate.
Signed:
Dr. Tony Olisa Mbeki Ogbonna
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the National Chairman
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
10 June 2026
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