UNIEC) Condemns the Exclusion of the South East Region in the N380bn Renewed Hope Development Projects 2025 Budget.


  

The United Igbo Elders Council Worldwide (UNIEC) Condemns the Exclusion of the South East Region in the N380bn Renewed Hope Development Projects 2025 Budget. 


Calls on the Federal Government to Urgently Address the Anomaly


By H. E. Pastor Michael Obierika 

Saturday, May 24, 2025


The United Igbo Elders Council Worldwide (UNIEC) has expressed strong disapproval over the reported exclusion of Nigeria’s South East region from the N380 billion Renewed Hope Development Projects as proposed in the 2025 national budget.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, the Council described the omission as “deliberate, unjust, and a grave insult to the collective aspirations of the Igbo people.” The group accused the Federal Government of perpetuating structural marginalisation, and demanded immediate redress.

According to UNIEC, the budget, which outlines massive investments in infrastructure, agriculture, education, and social development across various geopolitical zones, makes no allocation for the South East — a region already grappling with decades of underinvestment.

The exclusion of the entire South East zone from the Renewed Hope Projects is not only shocking but also speaks to a pattern of systemic neglect and political sidelining. We are stakeholders in the Nigerian project. So cannot, and will not be silent while our region is continuously treated as an afterthought.

The Council emphasized that such exclusion undermines national unity and fuels a sense of alienation among Igbo youth, which could have long-term consequences for peace and development.

UNIEC calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to immediately review the budgetary allocations to ensure fair and equitable distribution of developmental projects across all six geopolitical zones.

We want to emphasize that the principle of federal character is enshrined in our constitution for a reason and that principle must not be selectively applied. The South East has competent professionals, thriving communities, and millions of citizens whose taxes and votes contributed to the formation of this government. We, therefore, demand inclusive inclusion in the scheme of things.

We are, therefore, warning that if the anomaly is not addressed promptly, we may be forced to mobilize legal and civil actions both locally and internationally to demand justice.

UNIEC also urges other ethnic and regional stakeholders to stand for equity and fairness, stressing that no region should be left behind in the nation’s development drive.

Efforts to reach some Senators from the Southeast for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.

This latest development adds to the growing concerns over national integration and the need for a more inclusive governance approach as the country grapples with economic and political challenges.



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