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FCT Workers’ Strike: The Administration is Open for Reasonable Dialogue with the Striking Workers – Wike Declares

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has declared that the administration is open for reasonable dialogue with the striking workers.

The Minister stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja Nigeria’s Capital after Court ruling that order the workers to resume work.

Wike insisted that the administration had substantially met workers’ legitimate demands before resorting to legal action to restore order.

While making a clarification on the strike, Wike said the issue was not new and stressed that while government recognises workers’ rights, some of the demands went beyond what employees were legitimately entitled to.

“The issue of the strike is not new. I believe the administration has reasonably met the demands of the workers. However, we must be honest and admit that some of the demands are frivolous and go beyond what workers are legitimately entitled to,” Wike said.

He explained that the FCT Administration initially opted for dialogue rather than confrontation, noting that government did not rush to court when the strike began.

“When the strike started, we did not rush to court. We believed in dialogue and engagement. But when it became clear that politicians were about to hijack the strike, we had no choice but to seek legal intervention,” he stated.

According to the minister, the decision to approach the court was to allow an impartial determination of the issues on merit, rather than allowing propaganda and misinformation to dominate public discourse.

“This is a democracy. Everyone has the right to protest. But strike action should always be the last option. If workers ask for 14 days and government addresses issues within 10 days, there should be room for understanding,” he said.

Wike, who recalled his experience as a former governor and local government chairman, said he understood labour struggles but warned that not all demands could be implemented at once.

“When demands are legitimate, government should acknowledge them. But implementation often requires time. Government does not deny legitimate entitlements, especially wages,” he said.

He also dismissed claims circulating on social media that he was chased out of his office during the strike, describing them as deliberate falsehoods driven by political interests.

“I was in my office, travelled to see Mr President, went to Turkey, and returned. These stories are pure misinformation,” he said.

Addressing the financial realities of the FCT, Wike disclosed that the territory receives just one per cent of federal revenue, making it impossible to rely solely on statutory allocation.

“If the Federal Government earns ₦1 trillion, the FCT gets about ₦10 billion. Yet I just signed January salaries of over ₦12 billion. That means allocation alone cannot cover salaries and administration,” he explained, adding that the administration depends heavily on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He revealed that FCT IGR had increased from about ₦9 billion when he assumed office to ₦30 billion, describing it as significant progress that workers should acknowledge.

The minister further highlighted reforms achieved under the current administration, including the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, appointment of permanent secretaries, and creation of the Office of the Head of Service.

“Before now, workers retired at director level. These reforms were not in place. You cannot expect us to spend all revenue on wages while abandoning infrastructure development,” he said.

Following the court’s ruling ordering the suspension of the strike, Wike warned that any worker who fails to resume duties would face disciplinary action.

“Disobeying the law has consequences. From tomorrow, any worker who refuses to resume work will face disciplinary action. Anyone who blocks government facilities will face the full weight of the law,” he said.

He rejected claims that dialogue had broken down between the administration and unions, insisting that engagement had always been ongoing with his approval.

“No one will stagnate this administration through blackmail or political games. Nigeria must operate under the rule of law,” Wike declared.

The minister assured that the FCT Administration would obey the court’s decision and urged all parties to do the same, reaffirming his commitment to lawful resolution of disputes and continued reforms in the territory.

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POLITICS: Wike-led PDP Faction Takes Over Party Secretariat In Oyo

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Members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, have taken over the secretariat of the party in Oyo State.

The secretariat, located in the Molete area of Ibadan, was in the custody of the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde of the state until Thursday when the members loyal to Wike took over the premises.

DAILY POST gathered that the PDP members stormed the secretariat on Thursday and occupied the premises with hundreds of members of the party in attendance.

PDP chairman in the state, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the development to DAILY POST.

Akinoso in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Thursday, insisted that the real owners have taken over the premises.

He said, “It is true. It is not faction. It is PDP. We have taken over the premises. It was in the morning. We were there in the morning. We just left the premises. We are now in control. We have taken over the premises.” .…For more, Complete your reading.

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POLITICS: Foreign Recognition Won’t Secure Re-election – ADC Tells Tinubu

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has told President Bola Tinubu that foreign recognition will not secure him another term in office, insisting that Nigerians will judge his administration by its performance, not by diplomatic gestures from other world leaders.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party reacted to the Presidency’s celebration of a purported letter from United States President Donald Trump to Tinubu.

The ADC said presenting the letter as an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration was misleading, stressing that diplomatic correspondence between world leaders is a normal part of international relations.

“The Presidency’s attempt to present President Donald Trump’s letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as though it were a referendum on the state of the nation is not correct,” the party said.

According to the ADC, countries cooperate, leaders exchange views and letters regularly, adding that such communication does not amount to an endorsement of a government’s performance.

The party accused the Tinubu administration of being desperate for international validation instead of focusing on solving Nigeria’s challenges.

“It is apparent that this administration is desperate to seize upon any gesture of international recognition as proof of success at home,” the statement said.

The ADC maintained that “a letter from a foreign president, however well-intentioned, cannot substitute for the verdict of the Nigerian people.”

It added that the true measure of any government is not what foreign leaders say about it, but what citizens experience daily.

The opposition party argued that Trump’s letter had not changed the reality facing millions of Nigerians, especially those affected by insecurity.

“For the millions of Nigerians still living with the consequences of this government’s failures, President Trump’s communication changes nothing. It did not say that insecurity has been overcome or that Nigerians can once again travel freely, farm safely and sleep without fear,” the party stated.

The ADC also pointed to the continued captivity of hundreds of women and children in parts of Borno State and Kaiama in Kwara State, while many communities in Benue and other parts of the country still live in constant fear because of insecurity.

The party further noted that, despite the Presidency’s celebration of the letter, the United States Department of State has not changed its travel advisory for Nigeria.

According to the ADC, several Nigerian states remain under Level 3 and Level 4 travel advisories, with American citizens still being urged to reconsider or avoid travel because of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.

“We therefore wonder how correspondence from a government that designates several Nigerian states as ‘Do Not Travel’ areas can be regarded as an endorsement,” the party said.

It argued that the travel advisory shows the international assessment of Nigeria’s security situation remains different from the image the Presidency is trying to project.

The ADC said Nigerians are more concerned about their safety than diplomatic exchanges between presidents.

“The daily reality of Nigerians is shaped not by diplomatic correspondence, but by the guarantee that they can go about their lives without falling victim to violent crime or terrorism,” it said.

The party stressed that Trump’s letter was simply communication between two presidents and “does not amount to an endorsement of this government’s overall performance.”

It urged the Tinubu administration to focus less on celebrating diplomatic courtesies and more on delivering measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

“Ultimately, Nigerians will not judge this government by the letters it receives from foreign capitals. They will judge it by whether .…For more, Complete your reading.

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