Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately remove the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye, over allegations of financial mismanagement, abuse of office and poor performance.
In a statement signed by the President of the NANS Senate, Dist. Senator Ibeabuchi Moses Onyia (IBB), on Monday, September 28, 2026, the students’ body said Okoye had failed to meet the expectations attached to the establishment of the commission.
The SEDC was established in July 2024 to promote development, infrastructure, investment and economic growth across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
South East Development Commission
NANS said the appointment of Okoye, who was presented as a young policy and development professional, initially generated considerable optimism among Nigerian students and young people.
However, the association said the expectations had not been matched by what it described as visible and measurable results.
The group also cited the June 2026 Senate Committee investigation into the commission’s handling of N16.6 billion released under the 2025 budget.
During the hearing, lawmakers questioned expenditure entries including N153 million reportedly spent on an Abuja liaison office and N2.5 billion described as “implied expenditure.” The committee subsequently demanded detailed documentation from the commission.
NANS stressed that the allegations remained matters requiring investigation and accountability, but argued that they were serious enough to warrant immediate action by the Presidency.
The students’ body further accused the SEDC leadership of being disconnected from communities across the South East, alleging that residents were yet to see sufficient tangible benefits from the commission.
It said the South East needed practical interventions in infrastructure, erosion control, employment, agriculture and youth development rather than what it described as excessive emphasis on conferences, plans and long-term projections.
NANS therefore demanded that President Tinubu remove Okoye, order a comprehensive investigation into the commission’s finances, publish the outcome of any audit conducted and appoint an experienced and grassroots-oriented replacement with clear and measurable targets.
The association also gave the Presidency 21 days from the date of the statement to respond to its demands.
NANS warned that failure to see what it considers consequential action within the period would lead to a peaceful and sustained mobilisation involving its structures across states, zones and campuses.
According to the association, the planned protest would include relocating its National Headquarters to the Abuja and Enugu offices of the SEDC until its demands are addressed.
The development comes as the SEDC says it is moving from planning into implementation, with projects including agro-mechanisation initiatives across the region. The commission recently announced that one of its planned 15 agro-mechanisation projects was set for flag-off in Enugu State.
NANS, however, maintained that the people of the South East deserve greater transparency, accountability and visible development from the commission established to address the region’s longstanding development challenges.
