Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration over the ongoing teachers’ strike in Abuja, which has kept public school students at home for three months.
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Thursday, Obi emphasized that education is key to national growth and development.
“It’s well known that the more educated a country is, the more developed it becomes,” Obi wrote. “That’s why the most important thing any nation can do is to invest in the education of its people, especially children.”
He expressed disappointment that the strike, which many believed would be resolved quickly since it’s happening in the nation’s capital, is still ongoing while the government focuses more on infrastructure.
“When the strike started, we thought it would end in a day or two because it’s Abuja. But now, three months later, children are still at home while the government is busy renovating buildings,” he said.
Obi warned that ignoring education could harm Nigeria’s economy and security, urging leaders to focus more on human development.
“The real foundation of a strong society is not just roads and buildings, but educated people,” he said. “We need to invest in human capital education, healthcare, and lifting people out of poverty. That’s the only way to truly grow as a nation.”
The FCT teachers’ strike began due to unpaid salaries and poor working conditions and has continued to disrupt learning in government schools across Abuja.
