Prominent Nigerian human rights activist and #RevolutionNow leader, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for setting the minimum wage for FCT workers at a mere N70,000. Sowore expressed his outrage on social media, calling out Wike's decision as inadequate. Wike's approval of the N70,000 minimum wage is the implementation of the new minimum wage for all administration staff in the FCT.
However, Sowore's criticism highlights concerns about the wage's sufficiency, especially considering the current economic climate. Wike justified the approval of the N70,000 minimum wage as an effort to alleviate the struggles of FCT Administration employees. However, Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), slammed Wike's decision, calling it "wickedness".
Sowore criticised Wike, whom he labelled as "corrupt" for paying FCT workers a meagre N70,000 while spending millions of naira to build luxury homes for judges. “Wicked and corrupt Nyeson Wike, paying paltry N70k to FCT, Abuja workers but building N700m homes to corrupt Nigerian judges!” he posted on his X account on Tuesday. Wike faces intense criticism for building luxury homes for Nigerian judges.
Prominent critics, including human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Sowore, have accused Wike of attempting to influence judges and compromise the judiciary's independence. Specifically, they allege that Wike's generosity is a tactical move to se.