The former governor of Enugu State, Dr Okwezileze Nwodo, has been quizzed by the Abia State House of Assembly over a petition concerning the mismanagement of the Government College Umuahia.

Mr Chukwudi Onwudinati had sent a petition to the Abia House indicting Fisher Education Development Trust (FEDT) for the mismanagement of the school.

According to the petition, FEDT had imposed exorbitant fees and demolished iconic buildings without recourse to input from the Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA).

The House Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Public Petition, and Judiciary had invited the leadership of GCUOBA management of FEDT as part of its efforts to investigate the petition filed by Mr. Onwudinati.

To get to the root of the issues confronting GCU, the House had invited the Chairman of FEDT, Nwodo to appear before the House Committee.

During the questioning session, Nwodo, who is the Chairman of FEDT, disclosed that the body would be the one to replace itself once its tenure expires.

Nwodo, who insisted that FEDT does not need the approval of GCUOBA to function, said letters have already been sent out to all chapters to fill vacant positions of FEDT board members.

According to him, GCUOBA in 2015 put heads together and picked those considered as its first 11 which was sent to the Abia State government to champion the restoration of the school.

Asked why if GCUOBA was the body that nominated the FEDT board members, why can’t it be the same body that would ensure replacement after the expiration of tenure of the current board members, Nwodo said FEDT had its own life immediately after its registration at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

‘’The board, in its wisdom, considered that those two trustees were initially used to achieve registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and that the Board had its life when it was fully constituted with a full complement of Abia State Government and that’s when it took its life, and that all members will leave after two tenures of 10 years, and we have started the process of replacing ourselves and that FEDT has sent out letters, so that FEDT will choose those who will take over’’

Nwodo, while admitting that GCUOBA made him a member of FEDT, being an alumnus of the school, however, said FEDT is not answerable to GCUOBA, adding that its constitution permits FEDT to solely replace members of the Board.