No winner, no vanquished, Wike declares after meeting with labour

2026-02-03 - 16:08

By Omeiza Ajayi, ABUJA The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has declared a “no winner, no loser” outcome following a late-night troubleshooting parley with organized labour to resolve the recent industrial dispute within the FCTA bureaucracy. Speaking on Tuesday after an extensive inspection of three major infrastructure projects, the minister confirmed that the meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Trade Union Congress TUC was successful, resulting in a directive for workers to resume their duties. Wike, who noted that the labour leaders chose to obey a subsisting court order, expressed satisfaction that the dialogue allowed the leadership of the unions to gain firsthand perspective on the administration’s efforts. “Regarding the strike, I wouldn’t say we had a setback. Well, I would say they have obeyed the court order. I am happy that the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress came to see things for themselves. Sometimes it is good. What they are told is not really what is on the ground,” Wike stated. The minister dismissed the friction as a quest for attention, noting that the resolution was in the best interest of the territory’s development. He said, “By and large, we have had a good meeting.” And we have directed them to go back to work. So, we are happy. At the end of the day, we have no winner, no loser. It is for the interest of Abuja to progress.” The inspection tour, which coincided with the Golden Jubilee of the FCT, saw the minister visiting project sites at Gishiri, OSEX and the site for the relocation of Apo Mechanic Village in Wassa. Wike expressed confidence in the contractors, noting that several major road networks are slated for completion by August 2026. Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the FCT, Wike noted that the landscape of Abuja has undergone a radical transformation, especially under the current administration’s drive to return to the city’s original master plan. “There has been a lot of change in terms of infrastructure. It is a jubilee year for us. Mr. President is two years in office It has changed the landscape of Abuja. We are also following what the master plan is. So I think we know what we’ll do in terms of infrastructure,” the minister added.