An Open Letter to the FCT Minister – By Prince Daniel

Dear Mr. Minister,

I wrote you an open letter earlier, not because I thought you would see it but because I felt compelled to speak. I was certain it would not reach you. After all, you are the almighty FCT Minister and those around you, the praise singers and sycophants, would never allow such inconvenient counsel to get to your table, especially not from a supposed nobody like me.

In that letter, I advised you to take life easy and to remember that power is transient. I cautioned against the arrogance and the air of invincibility you often carry as if you own the world. That advice clearly went unheeded.

Once again, I write, this time not just to counsel but to express deep concern. For someone who has served as minister, governor, and now again as minister, you talk far too much. You insult too freely and too frequently. Every voice that challenges or disagrees with you becomes a target for mockery or disdain. You seem to operate with no regard for decorum and even less for dissenting views.

It is unfortunate and quite frankly embarrassing that someone entrusted with the responsibility of managing the Federal Capital Territory conducts himself with such unchecked condescension. What is even more disturbing is the silence of those you repeatedly insult. Some of them respected Nigerians who should know better, yet say nothing. Whether it is fear or political caution, their silence gives you a licence to continue unchecked. But let me be clear, sir, you are not above scrutiny. You are not above critique.

We ordinary Nigerians are tired. Tired of the endless rants. Tired of the showmanship. Tired of the lack of class. As Minister of the FCT, the seat of Nigeria’s power, you are a representative of our nation to the world. The conduct expected of you must reflect the dignity and weight of that office. Right now, it does not.

And while I acknowledge some of the work you have done, particularly on road infrastructure and urban renewal, I must ask: what value do you place on education? The same energy you channel into roads and the ₦39 billion renovation of the International Conference Centre — can we see a fraction of that urgency in the plight of teachers?

Our children are at home. FCT teachers are on strike. These are the very people shaping the minds of tomorrow, yet they are owed salaries and ignored. How does that sit right with your conscience? Roads are good. Infrastructure is necessary. But what are we without education? What becomes of a capital city whose classrooms are empty?

And it is not just the teachers. Primary health care centres in the Area Councils have been shut for over 90 days. Health workers are on strike. Hospitals are overwhelmed. Women in labour are turned away. These are the people you swore to serve, the silent majority, but they do not make headlines so perhaps they do not matter to you?

You see, governance is more than grandstanding and ribbon cutting. It is about compassion, priorities, and balance. It is about fixing roads and fixing lives. A good leader does not choose between infrastructure and humanity. He does both. Otherwise, we will end up with good roads that lead to broken schools and locked hospitals.

On the matter of the emerging political coalition you recently attacked in the press, what exactly are you afraid of? Why so threatened? Opposition is not a crime. It is a democratic necessity. Just do your job and let others do theirs. You are free to govern, but others are equally free to challenge your government. That is democracy.

Personally, I welcome the coalition. I hope it survives and thrives, not out of sentiment but because Nigeria desperately needs a credible opposition. The PDP has failed woefully in that regard. In fact, it is the worst opposition party in our democratic history. When the PDP was in power, the APC played the opposition so strategically that it shook the system and eventually took over. But the PDP today has neither the spine nor the strategy.

Mr. Minister, you are on a dangerous path. Power is intoxicating and it often blinds its holder to the edge of the cliff. I urge you to slow down, exercise restraint and conduct yourself with the honour your office demands.

Respectfully,

Ordinary citizen
Prince Daniel