Solidarity Forever with Nigerian Workers – Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo

The ongoing strike action by Nigerian workers in Abuja, which has led to the shutdown of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) headquarters, is not an act of rebellion or lawlessness. It is a cry for justice, dignity, and responsible governance. These workers are not asking for luxury; they are demanding the fulfilment of basic obligations that any serious government owes its workforce.

Workers are the backbone of governance. Without them, policies remain on paper, offices are empty, and governance collapses. When workers are pushed to the wall through unpaid entitlements, poor welfare, neglect, and broken agreements industrial action becomes not only inevitable but justified. The Abuja strike is therefore a reflection of deep-rooted frustration and prolonged neglect, not a sudden or politically motivated move.

It is deeply troubling that while workers in the Federal Capital Territory are struggling, protesting, and shutting down critical government institutions to draw attention to their plight, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, appears distracted from his core responsibilities.

The primary duty of the FCT Minister is to manage the affairs of the capital city, ensure industrial harmony, prioritise workers’ welfare, and guarantee effective administration of the territory entrusted to him.

Unfortunately, instead of focusing fully on resolving the issues affecting FCT workers and restoring normalcy to governance in Abuja, the Minister seems more engaged in political battles in Rivers State, particularly the ongoing conflict with Governor Siminalayi Fubara. While political interests and party dynamics may exist, they should never take precedence over official duties and the welfare of Nigerian workers.

Abuja is the seat of power and a symbol of national unity. When FCTA and FCDA offices are shut down due to workers’ strikes, it sends a dangerous signal about governance failure at the centre. It raises serious questions about leadership priorities and accountability. Nigerians expect the FCT Minister to be fully present, proactive, and solution-driven not politically distracted.

Workers cannot continue to suffer while leaders engage in power struggles. Governance is not a side job; it is a full-time responsibility. The challenges facing FCT workers require urgent dialogue, sincere negotiation, and immediate action, not silence, delay, or diversion of attention.
We stand in full solidarity with Nigerian workers in Abuja. Their demands deserve to be heard, respected, and addressed without intimidation or delay. A government that ignores its workers undermines its own legitimacy. History has shown repeatedly that no administration succeeds by suppressing workers’ voices or trivialising their struggles.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, must rise to the occasion. He must return focus to Abuja, engage the striking workers constructively, meet their legitimate demands, and restore confidence in the administration of the Federal Capital Territory. Political battles can wait; workers’ welfare cannot.

A nation that disrespects its workers disrespects itself. This strike should serve as a wake-up call not just to the FCT Minister alone, but to all leaders to remember that power is a responsibility, not a weapon, and governance is about service, not supremacy.