An Open Letter to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike: A Betrayal of Trust and a Call for Justice

As a student of the University of Abuja and a proud member of its vibrant union of over 50,000 Aluta voices, I pen this letter with a heavy heart, grappling with the sting of disappointment from a man we once revered as a father figure—Honourable Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The recent headlines about your decision to revoke 7,000 hectares of our university’s land have left us shocked, betrayed, and questioning the fairness of your actions. We, the students, who once stood by you, now feel discarded, our trust shattered by what seems like a blatant display of bias and neglect.

During the 10-day protests and moments of government intervention, the University of Abuja community rallied behind you, lending our collective voice to support your leadership. We believed in your commitment to progress, education, and the development of the FCT. Yet, your recent actions—revoking our land under the guise of "underdevelopment"—feel like a cruel dismissal of our loyalty. To liken us to fleeting objects of convenience, used and discarded at will, is a painful metaphor for how we now perceive your regard for our institution. How can a man we hailed as a champion of education treat the University of Abuja with such disdain?

Your tenure as FCT Minister comes with the responsibility to foster equitable development across all institutions under your purview, including ours. Yet, we are baffled by your claim that our university lacks infrastructure, when it is your mandate to support such development. The irony is stark: while you spearheaded the construction of a N3.9 billion convocation arena for the University of Port Harcourt—your alma mater—you have sidelined the University of Abuja, questioning our progress as if we, the students, are expected to fund infrastructure from our meager union dues. Is it that you do not recognize the University of Abuja as an institution under your jurisdiction, or is your allegiance swayed by personal ties to UniPort?

Your promise to allocate land to the University of Port Harcourt for a Centre for Leadership and Political Studies in the FCT, made during their 50th anniversary celebrations, raises troubling questions. Are you stripping our 7,000 hectares to fulfill this pledge, prioritizing your alma mater over the needs of our university? This selective generosity reeks of bias, leaving us to wonder whether your oath to serve the FCT impartially was merely lip service. We thought you loved the FCT as much as you love Rivers State. We believed you were committed to national unity, not favoritism toward one institution or ethnic group over another.

The 50,000 voices of the University of Abuja are not insignificant. Our votes, our support, and our belief in your leadership were given in good faith. Yet, your actions suggest that our contributions are undervalued, our institution sidelined because we are not from your preferred circles. This is not just about land; it is about fairness, equity, and the future of our education. Your revocation of our land, citing underdevelopment, feels like a punishment for circumstances beyond our control. If infrastructure is lacking, is it not your duty as FCT Minister to address this gap rather than penalize us for it?

We also question your broader motives. Are these actions part of a calculated move toward a 2027 presidential bid, dismantling the unity you claim to champion? The reallocation of our land, coupled with allegations of favoritism in distributing plots to political allies, casts a shadow over your commitment to the public good. We, the students, refuse to stand idly by while our university is stripped of its assets under questionable pretenses.

We call on the Presidency to intervene and hold you accountable. This controversy risks escalating into significant unrest if left unaddressed. We urge you to reconsider your decision, engage in transparent dialogue with our university’s management, and prioritize equitable development across all FCT institutions. The University of Abuja deserves better than to be treated as an afterthought. Restore our faith in your leadership, Minister Wike. Prove that you are indeed a father to all, not just a benefactor to a select few.

We, the Aluta voices of the University of Abuja, will not be silenced. Our land is our legacy, and we will fight to protect it.

Signed,

Sen. Ifesinachi Donald Udoka

A Concerned Student Union Leader of the University of Abuja