A Political Party of the Working Class is Born
By Hassan Taiwo Soweto
National Youth Leader
"Today we are
beginning a new chapter in the history of Nigeria; a chapter that will be
dominated by the political struggle of the working masses to take power and
begin to take control of the destiny of this Nation in the interest of the vast
majority"
With this Segun Sango, the
National Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), presented the welcome
address that captured the essence of the party’s inaugural convention - a
gathering of nearly 60 trade unionists, workers, youths, students and community
activists. Some delegates from the far North, East and South south who had to
travel over 8 hours on the road had arrived on the eve of the convention.
The inaugural convention of
the SPN was held on Saturday 16 November 2013 at the Women Development Centre (WDC)
Agege Lagos. The SPN was initiated by the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) last
year.
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| A Cross Section of Delegates at the Convention |
Comrade Peluola Adewale
while declaring open the convention announced to rousing applause the victory
of DSM's sister organisation Socialist Alternative Kshama Sawant incredible
victory against a Democrat incumbent in the council elections in Seattle,
United States. DSM and Socialist Alternative which are both affiliated to the
Committee for a Workers International (CWI).
For days Nigerian comrades had monitored the vote counting with bated breath
up till Friday November 15 when Democratic incumbent Richard Conlin conceded
defeat. If socialist ideas could win in the belly of the beast, the citadel of
capitalism, why not here? And of course in 2003, DSM Lanre Arogundade
contesting on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP) for Lagos
West Senatorial seat won over 77,000 votes in an election dominated by vote
buying and rigging by the then ruling Alliance for Democracy (AD) now
re-christened All Progressive Congress (APC).
This was followed by a welcome address by Comrade Segun Sango. According to him, "14 years after
civil rule, the high expectations of millions of Nigerians for real positive
change in their lives have been shattered by the politicians of PDP, APC, LP
and other elite politicians in the other capitalist parties. Not only has there
been no substantial improvement in the lives of the working masses, in some
respect the situation has become worse. Tens of millions of Nigerians still
live without access to good food, housing, roads, water, electricity, education
and healthcare. Thousands of workers have been retrenched from their jobs.
Despite Nigeria's abundant wealth, over 112 million Nigerians out of a
population of about 170 million are too poor to afford the basic standard of
living of good shelter, nutritious food and good quality education.
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| Segun Sango, SPN National Chairperson |
Perhaps the most serious
aspect of Nigeria's problems is the poor and hopeless condition of the youth.
Today unemployment has become a permanent feature of the life of our youth
despite alleged impressive economic growth. The latest, July 2013, population
estimate is that Nigeria has 175.5 million inhabitants. Of these 76.8 million
(43.8%) are under 14 years old. When you add the 33.6 million 15 to 24 year
olds, 63.1% of Nigeria's current population is under 25 years old. But
capitalism cannot offer these youth a real future".
According to him, since
1986 when Labour Militant, the forerunner of the DSM came into existence as a
distinct Trotskyite group, we had inscribed on our banner the demand for a
political party of the working class. Between then and now, we have seen two
attempts by the working class to build a party of their own betrayed and/or
shipwrecked by the bureaucratic labour leaders with pro-capitalist outlook who
have little or no faith in the ability of the working masses to salvage
Nigeria. First time in 1989, large crowds of workers, youth and poor masses
welcomed the formation of the Nigerian Labour Party only for the Babangida
military junta to dissolve all political parties in favour of just two - The
NRC and the SDP. The tragedy of the story was that instead of the labour
movement resisting this undemocratic step of the regime, they acquiesced
meekly.
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| Simeon Abraham from Rivers State |
The second and current attempt was 2005 when the Labour Party was formed out of the rump of the Party for Social Democracy (PSD) which had been registered in 2002 by the Adams Oshiomhole-led leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). But not only did Adams Oshiomhole himself abandon the party for the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) - now APC, today the labour leaders have abandoned the LP for moneybag politicians such that the party has no working class membership.
These
were the historical betrayals of the labour leadership, including the hijack by
a rightwing and pro-capitalist leadership of the NCP where we
worked and helped build, which has made the DSM to begin the
SPN initiative. While
we have not abandoned our agitation for a mass working peoples’ party we hold
strongly that now even a small party can set a striking example, something that
is imperative especially at present when there is no party that represents the
interests of working class people.
There were not a few
people, the ruling elite and unfortunately some self-acclaimed left, who felt
the SPN initiative would not succeed. The success of the inaugural convention
is a clear and bold rebuttal of these elements. As Segun Sango pointed out:
"For a long time, the capitalists and their apologists relying on the
undemocratic and pro-rich provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act
which ensure that only looters and moneybag politicians can form political
parties, have made it impossible for the working masses to have a true
political representation...However today and despite the huge difficulties, we
are demonstrating that we can meet the constitutional provisions for the
formation of a new political party as stipulated under the 1999
Constitution".
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| Alfred Adegoke from Osun State |
A Minute Silence for Prof. Festus Iyayi
The SPN is a party that
supports all struggles of the working masses to improve their conditions. Thus
at the convention, the party demonstrated its solidarity with the struggle of
University lecturers for a better public University system. The Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on a nationwide strike for over four
months to demand better funding of the education sector and the improvement in
University lecturer's working conditions. The demands of the union which has
dominated public discussion for over four months now has exposed the
contradiction of a profit-first capitalist system which gives less priority to
the social services like public education, health care etc. In the midst of the
strike, a leading ASUU leader and former president of the union, Prof Festus
Iyayi, died in an auto crash caused by the convoy of the Kogi State Governor
Idris Wada. In solidarity with the struggle of ASUU, the convention observed a
minute silence in memory of Iyayi.
Mass Misery in the Midst of Abundance
After the welcome address,
Dr. Sola Olorunyomi (the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities
Human Right Committee) gave an interesting lecture on the topic: "Mass
misery in the midst of plenty - the role of working class organisations".
He started his lecture with the following words "Today, I am extremely privileged
... I Consider it a rare privilege to be here". Olorunyomi emphasized the
importance of a working class political alternative. However according to him,
while participation in election is okay, it does not mean that the electoral
road is the only road to overthrow capitalist rule. "I do feel the party of the people must
seek open democratic processes to move society forward but in the final
analysis it is the ruling class that will help people determine how they will
take power. Whether they will take power or not is not in doubt". This is
obviously right.
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| Dr Sola Olorunyomi, Guest Lecturer |
However as the DSM argues,
an alternative political party of the working class is needed at all time
whether for electoral contest to try to win power or whether for mass
mobilisation to take power. A political party of the working class existing
with clear ideas of how a new society based on cooperation and solidarity would
be built is essential to ensure that when the masses move onto the stage of
history, the goal is clear. This is unlike the developments in Egypt and
Tunisia today where the struggle of the working masses for socio-economic
change has not achieved desired result because of the movement was
instinctively led by masses without the benefit of a clear cut working class
socialist vision and method of how to permanently win the struggle against the
capitalist and military controllers of these societies.
The Boko Haram insurgency
in the North East is a particularly serious issue which shows how the terrible
economic conditions is forcing a layer, especially disaffected youths, to take
desperate measures trying to seek solution. Olorunyomi declared: "You
can't defeat Boko Haram with a standing army. It is not doable! It is not
possible! What can defeat Boko Haram is the people!".
Talking about the need for
a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), Olorunyomi came very close to DSM's
articulation of an SNC dominated by the representatives of the working masses.
"I have absolutely no problem in an ethnic formation. What I do have problem
with is the government claiming to want to have a National Conference and bring
only the bourgeois section of all ethnic groups". Olorunyomi declared
there is an alternative mode of development to the profit-first ideology of
capitalism. "So if we say for instance all the children in the land will
be educated; so be it! Then we work out how the economy will cope with
it". Contrary to this, under capitalism, the economy is made to cope not
for the needs of the people but the profit of a few. This is why we have
Nigeria's economy growing yet there are no jobs. The result is over 112 million
poor Nigerians despite the abundance of human and natural resources required to
make life better for all.
Ultimately, we have to
"fall back on the energy of the masses through a new non-alienating state
structure that will change the nature of property relation and ownership
structure. And I say this can't be done by a bourgeois party. I think this can
be done only by a Socialist party". Olorunyomi submitted. Obviously by this he meant the coming to
power of a working masses government armed with socialist policies
which is exactly what the SPN is gearing up to do.
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| Catechist Ambrose Sunny from Abia State |
Despite the little time
available, a lively discussion ensued after Dr. Olorunyomi's speech. About
eight delegates made fantastic contributions. All stressed the importance of
the building of the SPN as a working class political alternative. According to
leading DSM member and SPN delegate from Oyo State comrade Adewale Barshar, the
SPN should build its root among the working masses in the work places and
communities. "we should organise programs with people in the communities.
Many people may not come to us immediately today, but the masses will come to
us when we have persevered; when they see that we are true and genuine".
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| Ms Sodiya |
In her contribution, Ms. Sodiya
(a one-time member of the National Conscience Party) expressed her happiness at
the steps being taken in building SPN. She went down memory lane describing her
experiences in the NCP and how for a brief period, NCP provided a platform for
radical youths, workers and masses to fight for change. The SPN has to be built
like this. She ended her contribution by charging the delegates to be
steadfast. "Do you want change and are you going to be part of that
change! Please search your mind and redouble your commitment to the
struggle".
A Political Party like no Other
Comrade Lanre Arogundade
(member of the DSM Executive Committee and one-time Senatorial Candidate of the
National Conscience Party) while summing up the lecture further explained that
the SPN is no place for careerists. Rather the SPN is a party that operates on
the principle of workers representatives on a workers' wage. "This is a
party where if you are going to stand for election, you are not going to be
earning all these fantastic jumbo salaries that Senators and other political
office holders earn otherwise we are not going to be different from bourgeois
parties. So we are going to do what we did in the NCP and even much more better
by saying those who are elected on the platform of the SPN will earn not more
than the wages of those they represent while the remainder of their salaries
and allowances will be donated to the party and to the labour and social
movements to aid the struggles of workers, youths and the masses in the
communities".
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| Lanre Arogundade, Member of DSM's NEC |
While further explaining
how the SPN should be built as a political party distinct from the pro-rich
parties of the capitalist parties, Lanre Arogundade said that "the SPN
will seek to be the party of all working class elements whether you are a
worker, unemployed, traders, youth, market women, peasants etc. SPN is a party
they offer a pro-people's alternative to the ruinous neo-liberal policies of
privatisation being implemented by the ruling parties of the PDP and APC. SPN
stands for public ownership and democratic control of the economy to benefit
the majority. In addition SPN will stand in solidarity and actively
participate in the struggles of workers, youth and masses when they are on
strikes protests, demonstrations and
pickets".
Arogundade added, "When
we say there is no opposition in Nigeria, it’s because other than lip-service,
we have not seen any of the bourgeois political parties that is for example
ready to march on the streets with ASUU. The SPN will be and should be that
kind of political party".
No Place for Moneybags!
At the end of the lecture,
an SPN building fund was launched. A sum of N15, 915 was collected while the
sum of N85, 000 was raised in pledges. Hitherto, the activities of the SPN have
been financed by the special struggle fund raised from comrades and supporters
by DSM which has generated till date N823, 500.
While the main capitalist
parties of the PDP and ACN are financed by moneybag politicians who are looting
society's resources, the SPN relies on the political support of the working
people and masses. As Segun Sango proudly announced to the convention,
"In getting to where we are today, we have never sought or accepted a
single donation from any moneybag politician or member of the capitalist ruling
elite. Rather, we have relied heavily on the financial donation from workers,
youth, students, masses and our supporters across the country. This is how
we shall continue to build the SPN. The SPN must continue to be a political
party owned, controlled and funded by workers, masses and the youth".
A Huge Accomplishment
The mood at the convention
was very optimistic. There was the feeling that now we are starting on a clear
road which can enable us to successfully meet the conditionalities stipulated
for registration of a new political party under the 1999 Constitution of
Nigeria. Gathered at the convention were delegates from all the six
geo-political zones of the country; an incredible achievement for a small
socialist organisation. They represented the broad spectrum of the oppressed:
workers, youth, students and masses.
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| Some of the Delegates from the North |
This incredible accomplishment is a political success
for the DSM which has been waging a political struggle for a working class
political representation since its inception. This does not mean that all NEC
members are DSM members but that we are able to recruit members for the SPN on
the basis of the socialist ideas championed by the DSM since 1986 is a graphic testimony
that the entirety of the Nigerian working masses regardless of geo-political zones,
ethnic group or religion are yearning for change from prevailing capitalist
misrule.
While the comrades and
activities of the DSM (the initiator of the SPN) only extend to four zones of
the country in terms of branches and membership, the SPN initiative enabled us
to reach out to working class people and change-seekers across all the six
geo-political zones of the country including places we previously had no member
or activities. This includes the Boko Haram-ravaged Northeast region of the
country where a coordinated campaign of bombing and killings is being conducted
by Boko Haram and the forces of the state under the guise of fighting Boko
Haram. Between last year and now, the interim national leadership of the party
crisis-crossed the length and breadth of the country to mobilise support for
the party. In the run-up to the Convention, zonal meetings were organised in
all the zones including Abuja except the Northeast due to the prevailing
security situation in the case of the former and, and SouthWest where we
already functional chapters and active members of the party. The challenge of resources means that interim
leadership had to prioritize other areas hitherto with little or no
presence.
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| DSM Stand at the Convention |
Of course this by no means
meant every member elected into the NEC were able to make it to the convention.
A few could not. However, the party made sure that all those who were elected
into the NEC but could not, for different reasons include distance, lack of
money to pay for transport and other circumstances, make it to the convention
sent written confirmation of their consent to be elected into the NEC and these
were read to the convention.
Convention Proper
After the plenary session
was concluded, the convention went straight into election which was conducted
by the Convention Committee comprising Comrades Peluola Adewale, Victor Osakwe
and Mary George. A 30-member NEC was elected with Segun Sango as the National
Chairperson, Chinedu Bosah as National Secretary and Bashir Tanko as National
Treasurer. See here the full list of names of elected NEC members of the party
Immediately
after the election of the NEC the party Manifesto and Constitution were adopted
with minor amendments.
With the convention where a
30-member National Executive Committee (NEC) representing the six geo-political
zones of the country was elected, the last hurdle in the race to meet the
onerous requirements of the
constitution has been crossed. The other is
the location of the party headquarter in Abuja and that has been accomplished
with the securing of an office apartment at 42 Adetokunbo Ademola Street Wuse
II Abuja. The next step now is to submit an application to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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| Some of the elected NEC Members |
After a refreshing lunch,
delegates began their journey back to their different states and zones imbued
with a new inspiration and confidence to continue the building of the Socialist
Party of Nigeria (SPN) as a political party of the workers, youth and the
masses. If the party does not depart from its policies and methods as stated in
its manifesto, the prospect for its growth is bright.
"The ruling class or
their representatives have no place in our party. Resting on the working and
toiling masses, the SPN shall build a movement to liberate Nigeria from the
oppressive capitalist elite ruining the country. We shall mobilise support for
and intervene in the daily struggle of all the sections of the working people
for improvement and against all forms of capitalist attacks. We will give
solidarity to all workers and oppressed in Africa, and elsewhere in the world,
and actively support their struggles for liberation from capitalism". With
these words Segun Sango clearly delineated the SPN as a political party without
equal in principle and method at present in Nigeria.
