While Wike’s aide questions Adalo’s political involvement, commenters urge FCT Administration to address teachers’ grievances
A Facebook post by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sparked debate following the commencement of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) indefinite strike in the FCT.
Olayinka, in a post on his Facebook page, shared a photograph of the FCT NLC Chairman, Dr. Stephen Adalo Knabayi, and questioned his involvement in partisan politics while serving in the FCT Administration.
According to Olayinka, Knabayi is a Deputy Director in the Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration and was also an African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for Kuje Area Council Chairman in the 2026 Area Council election.
Olayinka further suggested that the ongoing industrial action could have political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, questioning whether the NLC chairman’s actions could benefit the ADC.
However, the post has attracted mixed reactions, with several commenters arguing that the political affiliation of the NLC chairman should not distract from the substantive issues raised by teachers and organised labour.
One commenter, Bila Peter, directly challenged Olayinka, writing: “Oga that’s not the issue. You are too petty. Address the issues Teachers in the FCT raised.”
Another commenter, Prince Adeyemi Adeyemo, similarly urged the government to focus on the grievances of the workers.
“You don’t have to politicize everything. They’re fighting for their civic rights. The government should attend to them adequately,” he wrote.
Rai Thomas also defended the labour action, saying the NLC chairman was fighting for the benefits of civil servants in the FCT and that the matter had nothing to do with politics.
Other commenters, however, raised questions about whether a serving civil servant could contest an election under a political party.
One commenter, Olukayode Gbola Fasakin, questioned whether a civil servant could be a candidate of a political party and whether such an officer would have been required to resign or retire before contesting the election.
Another commenter, Ben Okosughe, alleged that Knabayi did not resign from his employment before contesting the election under the ADC.
The reactions come as the FCT NLC commenced an indefinite strike over unresolved issues affecting teachers and other workers.
Among the union’s demands are the removal of the vacancy clause as a condition for teachers’ promotion, the conduct of the 2025 promotion examination for eligible teachers who were unable to take it, and concerns over the redeployment or demotion of directors within the education sector.
The union maintains that the industrial action is centred on workers’ rights and conditions of service.
While Olayinka’s post has shifted attention to the political activities of the FCT NLC chairman, the comments on the post show that many members of the public are more concerned about the substantive grievances that led to the strike.
The controversy has therefore raised two separate questions: whether serving civil servants should participate in partisan politics, and whether the FCT Administration should first address the demands of the teachers and organised labour.
As the strike continues, attention is now on the FCT Administration and the NLC to resolve the outstanding issues and restore normal activities across the Federal Capital Territory.
