Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress of pursuing political interests through its ongoing strike over teachers’ promotion and welfare, warning that workers who stay away from their duties will face a “no work, no pay” policy.

Wike made the remarks on Friday in Abuja after a meeting with chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils, insisting that the industrial action was unnecessary because, according to him, the administration had addressed the union’s demands and was implementing agreed resolutions.

He directed the area council chairmen to call on striking teachers and other affected civil servants to return to work, warning that those who continued participating in the strike would not be paid for the period they remained absent.

The minister described the strike as politically motivated and alleged that the FCT NLC leadership was using the dispute to create tension in the territory ahead of future elections.

He specifically referred to the union’s chairman, Knabayi S. Adalo, alleging that his previous involvement in an Area Council election under the African Democratic Congress showed that political interests were influencing the industrial action.

Wike urged union leaders interested in partisan politics to step aside from their positions rather than use organised labour to pursue political objectives.

The strike began on October 7 following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration over unresolved grievances concerning teachers’ promotion and welfare.

The NLC has demanded the removal of the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotions, the reconsideration of eligible teachers who were excluded from the 2025 promotion examination, and the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to certain directors in education agencies.

The union maintained that the administration’s response failed to address its major concerns and directed workers in both the public and private sectors across the FCT to stay away from their duty posts until the issues were resolved.

However, Wike insisted that the administration had made progress in addressing the grievances, arguing that continued industrial action would disrupt education and other public services.

The minister’s comments have intensified the disagreement between the FCT Administration and organised labour over the handling of teachers’ career progression and welfare concerns.

As the strike continues, its resolution will depend on further engagement between the administration and labour representatives over the disputed promotion policies and the implementation of workers’ entitlements.