Nigeria Labour Congress rejects Wike’s claims regarding FCT teachers' strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have rejected claims by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that the ongoing indefinite strike by teachers is politically motivated.

Labour leaders characterized the industrial action as a legitimate response to unresolved welfare issues. Key grievances include the imposition of a vacancy clause, the failure to conduct the 2025 promotion exercise, and the alleged demotion of directors in violation of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.

The NLC and NUT also dismissed Wike’s directive to enforce a ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy and the instruction to use attendance registers to monitor striking staff, calling these measures ‘unconstitutional, illegal, provocative and unenforceable.’ The NLC maintained that the strike follows legal due process under the 1999 Constitution and international labour standards, asserting that the FCT Administration provoked the dispute by violating workers' rights.