Igbo Youth Assembly Refutes Purported Call for SEDC Board Dissolution, Schedules Stakeholders’ Convention in Awka

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The apex umbrella body of Igbo youth organisations, the Igbo Youth Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, has dissociated itself from the purported calls for the dissolution of the Board of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), insisting that no recognised Igbo youth platform has taken such a position or made such a call.

The Assembly made the clarification in a press statement and refutal made available to newsmen on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in reaction to media reports credited to one Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, who allegedly called on President Bola Tinubu to dissolve the SEDC Board over alleged irregularities.

The Igbo Youth Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, led by its President, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, described the publication as misleading, stressing that the individual in question was speaking in his personal capacity and does not represent the position of Igbo youths or any recognised organ of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

According to the Assembly, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike is not a representative of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing or any recognised Igbo youth structure; hence, his views should not be misconstrued as the collective position of youths across the South East.

The organisation acknowledged the ongoing public discourse surrounding the management and performance of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), including concerns raised by the Senate Committee overseeing the Commission and explanations offered by the SEDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Okoye.

The Assembly said rather than taking hasty positions, it is carefully studying the issues and engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that any intervention reflects the collective interest of the Igbo people and is based on verified facts.

To that end, the organization announced that it has scheduled a two-day convention in Awka, Anambra State, on June 18 and 19, 2026, where the performance, leadership and operational challenges of the SEDC, alongside other pressing issues affecting the development of the South East, will form part of key deliberations.

The Assembly explained that the convention would provide a broad-based platform for consultation, review and consensus-building before any official position is adopted on the Commission or other regional matters.

It further highlighted its expansive membership, noting that it comprises major youth and stakeholder organisations across Igboland, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, the South East chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), the South East chapter of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), alongside several other youth bodies and strategic stakeholders.

The leadership reaffirmed its commitment to defending the interests of Igbo youths and ensuring that resources meant for the development of the South East are deployed transparently and equitably.

It stressed that the Assembly would continue to engage, consult and, where necessary, challenge institutions and stakeholders to safeguard the developmental aspirations of the region and prevent any form of marginalisation.

The group further assured that after exhaustive deliberations at the forthcoming convention, it would present a comprehensive and unified position on the leadership and performance of the SEDC, as well as other issues affecting the progress of Igboland.

While urging Igbo youths to remain calm and vigilant, the Assembly called on them to await the outcome of the convention, assuring that all pending concerns would receive thorough consideration during what it described as an all-encompassing meeting aimed at charting a sustainable path for the region’s development.

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