Wike’s Aide Speaks On Minister Running Away From FCTA Workers

An aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has denied claims that the minister fled from protesting workers in Abuja on Monday, insisting he only used a different exit after the main entrance was blocked.

Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, Lere Olayinka, who spoke on behalf of the minister, described as misleading viral videos suggesting Wike ran from protesters during the demonstration over unresolved welfare and salary issues.

“The minister was not running away from anything. The entrance of the secretariat was barricaded by the protesters, and instead of instructing security to clear them, he chose to use a different exit from the Ministry of Agriculture so that he could make his way to the airport, where he was supposed to see the president off,” Olayinka explained.

The clarification follows scenes of tension in Abuja on Monday, when aggrieved workers pursuing an indefinite strike were seen chasing a motorcade alleged to be conveying Wike.

Videos shared widely on social media showed protesters chanting and calling attention to lingering grievances as they followed the vehicle through parts of the city.

Earlier in the day, the workers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), picketed the National Industrial Court (NICN) in the Federal Capital Territory, demanding the minister’s removal and redress of outstanding entitlements.

Naijaonpoint reports that the protesters carried placards with captions such as “Wike must go!”, “Abuja no be Rivers”, “Pay promotion arrears”, “Enough is Enough”, and “No working tools”

The workers said their industrial action stemmed from unresolved welfare concerns, including five months of unpaid salaries, long‑standing promotion arrears, and poor working conditions.

In a related development, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) sitting in Abuja has ordered the striking workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to immediately suspend the ongoing strike and return to their posts.

Delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim said that allowing workers to embark on industrial action after a dispute has been referred to the court amounts to self‑help, which the law does not permit.

The court acknowledged that while workers have a constitutional right to strike, such a right is not absolute and must be exercised within the framework of the law.