You’re On Strike For You Welfare, You Begin To Say That Abuja Is Not Rivers, Wike Must Go- Olayinka

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized the ongoing strike by some workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), accusing them of turning a labour dispute into a political protest.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Olayinka argued that the strike, which was initially declared over workers’ welfare concerns, had lost its original focus after protesters began chanting political slogans targeting the FCT minister. According to him, the introduction of political messages undermined the legitimacy of the industrial action.

 

Olayinka stated that before the strike commenced, the FCT administration had already made significant progress in addressing the concerns raised by the workers. He disclosed that out of the 14 demands presented by the unions, 10 had already been resolved through negotiations with the government.

 

According to him, the strike was meant to center on issues such as salaries, allowances, benefits, and improved working conditions. However, he questioned the relevance of chants such as “Abuja is not Rivers” and “Wike must go,” stressing that such slogans have no connection to workers’ welfare.

In his word, “You’re on strike for your welfare, and the next thing you begin to say is that Abuja is not Rivers, Wike must go. You have already descended into the political arena,” Olayinka said during the interview.

He maintained that once political undertones were introduced, the protest ceased to be a genuine labour action and instead became an attempt to score political points against the minister. Olayinka argued that labour unions should avoid mixing industrial disputes with partisan politics if they expect meaningful engagement and resolution.

The aide also took a swipe at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), accusing the labour body of acting hastily and failing to maintain neutrality. He said the NLC should have played a mediatory role by facilitating dialogue between the FCTA and the aggrieved workers, rather than escalating tensions.

According to Olayinka, the conduct of the NLC gave the impression that it was aligning with opposition political interests rather than serving as an unbiased advocate for workers’ welfare. He alleged that the labour union often behaves like an opposition group, pointing to what he described as its visible links to opposition political parties.

Olayinka further revealed that several meetings were held between the FCT administration and labour leaders before the strike began. He said discussions were ongoing and that a final meeting was scheduled for Sunday evening, just hours before the strike was declared, for the purpose of signing an agreement.

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