The Civil Liberties Parliamentary Advocacy Centre (CLPAC) has clarified that the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Bill was initiated by Senator Stella Oduah, contrary to claims crediting it to Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Arc. Vincent Udemba, CLPAC provided a detailed history of the SEDC Bill, explaining that it was first introduced by Oduah (Anambra North) during the 8th Senate in 2016.
The bill was later merged with a similar proposal from Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East). Udemba emphasized that Hon. Kalu was not in office when the bill was initially brought to the Senate floor on June 22, 2016.
Referencing historical records, Udemba noted that the bill was first read in the Senate under then Senate President Bukola Saraki on June 22, 2016, and passed its second reading on June 7, 2017.
The Senate passed the bill on December 12, 2018, while the House of Representatives followed suit on May 28, 2019, just before the expiration of the 8th Assembly. At that time, the bill was sponsored in the House by Hon. Chukwuma Onyema, the Deputy Minority Leader (Anambra, Ogbaru).
The statement further clarified that while Hon. Kalu played a significant role in the 10th Assembly, his involvement came after the groundwork had been laid in previous Assemblies.
According to CLPAC, Kalu’s input as Deputy Speaker and the most senior lawmaker from the South East in the current Assembly was acknowledged, but the group stressed that it would be incorrect to attribute the bill’s origin solely to him.
Udemba called on Kalu’s supporters to recognize the contributions of the original sponsors, including Senator Oduah, Anyanwu, and other lawmakers who pushed the bill through both chambers.
He also credited President Bola Tinubu for fulfilling his campaign promise to support the creation of the SEDC, recalling that Tinubu had pledged to establish the commission during a 2023 campaign visit to then Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The success of the SEDC Bill, Udemba concluded, was a collective effort spanning the 8th, 9th, and 10th Assemblies, with contributions from lawmakers across different geopolitical zones and ultimately supported by President Tinubu.
