Sowore Lambasts FCT Minister Wike Over Lavish Spendings As Government Schools Remain Shut For Three Months
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has taken a swipe at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing him of neglecting critical social services while prioritizing lavish capital projects.
In a strongly worded post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sowore condemned Wike’s administration for pouring billions of naira into what he described as “non-essential projects” amid a prolonged shutdown of public schools and local government councils in the FCT.
“While Tinubu’s FCT Minister @GovWike is allocating and blowing billions of naira on non-essential projects like the Abuja Conference Centre, all public schools and area councils in the FCT have been shut for three months, leaving teachers unpaid and local government workers abandoned,” Sowore wrote. “This is not governance; it is a war on the poor and the future.” He tagged his post with #RiseUpFCT and #EducationIsPower.
The criticism comes amid growing public frustration over a strike by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), which has now entered its third month. The industrial action has forced the closure of schools across the six FCT area councils—Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, and Kwali—disrupting learning for thousands of students.
The AAC, through its FCT chapter, has also condemned the Wike-led administration for what it called a “heinous neglect” of public education. In a press statement on Wednesday, AAC FCT Chairman, Agena Robert Ande, described the strike as a direct result of the administration’s “callous indifference” to teachers’ welfare.
According to the party, the FCT Administration has failed to honour previous agreements with the teachers, including the implementation of the proposed ₦70,000 minimum wage and payment of outstanding allowances.
“This is a brazen disregard for the rights of workers and a betrayal of public trust,” the statement read. The AAC also accused the administration of prioritizing “grandiose and wasteful” infrastructure projects that benefit political allies rather than addressing the pressing needs of ordinary residents.
Specifically, the party cited the multi-billion-naira renovation of the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC), several high-profile flyovers, and estate infrastructure upgrades as examples of misplaced priorities.
While Wike has continued to roll out ambitious urban development projects, critics argue that such initiatives do little to address the critical needs of the poor, particularly in areas like education, healthcare, and local governance.
With the FCT educational system now stalled for nearly 90 days, civil society groups and opposition voices are calling for urgent government intervention to restore services and refocus governance on the needs of the people.
