From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The crisis rocking Government College, Umuahia (GCU), Abia State, over the running of the school by the Trustees of Fisher Educational Development Trust (FEDT) persists, as the Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo-led team appointed new trustees in defiance of an Abia State House of Assembly (ABHA) order.
An old boy of the college, Mr Chukwudi Onwudinanti, petitioned the ABHA against the high fees charged by FEDT, among other issues, stating that the fees, exceeding N1 million annually, deny children from low-income families access to the school and contradict the vision of the founding fathers. [](https://newtelegraphng.com/abia-assembly-investigates-alleged-elitist-policies-at-gcu/)
Following the petition, the House Committee on Public Petitions invited parties to the crisis and, after hearing their submissions, urged them to maintain the status quo while a fair decision is reached.
However, defying the ABHA’s order, the Nwodo-led FEDT recently selected an eight-man team to replace the current board in running the school’s affairs.
Nwodo, in a statement announcing the selection of the new FEDT team, said:
“You may recall that towards the end of last year, we intimated you of the commencement of a transition process that will lead to the birthing of a new Board of Trustees to take over from the pioneer Board. We are therefore delighted to announce to you the successful selection of a new team to lead the Trust into the future.”
In response, Onwudinanti’s counsel, Ugochukwu Zik, drew the attention of the ABHA Speaker to the breach of the House’s directive by Dr Nwodo and his team. According to Zik, “In a letter by the ABHA dated 4th June 2025, the ABHA directed both the FEDT and Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA) to stay action on the inauguration of new members of the trustees of the FEDT, with an express warning that disobedience to the order shall ‘attract severe penalties’.
“Regrettably, while the National President of the GCUOBA issued a statement that the GCUOBA has suspended its intended inauguration of the new FEDT trustees and shall abide by the orders of the ABHA, the FEDT and its apologists in the USA and UK kept boasting that the ABHA is not a court of law that could stop her from inaugurating its new trustees. True to their words, the FEDT has just published an undated letter signed by Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo (FEDT Board Chairman) announcing the selection of its new Board.
“This is the kind of lawlessness and brigandage that has characterized the operations of the FEDT these past years, which culminated in the presentation of the petition by the Petitioner to the ABHA.”
The ABHA insists that all parties should stay action pending the outcome of its decision. A statement titled “Notice to Stay Action,” signed by Hon Uchenna Okoro Kalu, co-chairman of the House Joint Committee, said: “The Joint Committee hereby mandates all the parties to stay action so as not to breach the peace of the state.”
The committee assured all parties of a fair decision but cautioned that any disobedience to the notice will be regarded as insubordination to the House and will attract severe penalties.