Odinkalu Tackles Kalu For Running Hostile Senate Hearing
Fresh tension has trailed the South East Development Commission after its finances came under scrutiny at a Senate committee hearing chaired by Orji Uzor Kalu.
The session focused on how the agency handled funds from its budget and triggered wider public debate.
Lawmakers questioned several expenses, including claims that about N153 million was spent on a one-room liaison office in Abuja, alongside other large figures in the commission’s financial records.
The session also drew attention to how billions allocated to the agency were being managed despite limited visible projects in the region.
Human rights lawyer Chidi Odinkalu criticised the conduct of the hearing, saying it appeared confrontational rather than a proper oversight exercise.
His remarks added to growing disagreement over how the Senate panel handled questions directed at SEDC officials.
The commission rejected the claims of misuse, explaining that the disputed Abuja office cost covered rent and operations over time and not a single payment.
It also insisted that all its spending followed due process, while a civil rights group called for a full probe into its finances and possible referral to anti-graft agencies.
