2015 ELECTIONS: LAGOS SPN MEETING DRAWS PROGRAMME FOR INTERVENTION

By SPN Reporters

 

Lagos State Chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has resolved at its January 17 general meeting/public symposium to programmatically intervene in the fast-approaching 2015 general elections. The meeting reviewed the resolution of the last general meeting held on 6^th December, 2014 to organise a mass protest rally to INEC National Headquarters Annex on January 28^th, 2015 which is the return date for the SPN court matter at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The meeting resolved to continue mass mobilization of members of the Lagos SPN for the rally, in spite of the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria which has shut down the courts. The meeting resolved that branch meetings should be held on January 24^th, 2015 to intensify mobilization for the protest rally. The meeting also resolved that branches should carry out tablings and mass circulation of leaflets on January 31^st, 2015 to take the perspectives of the SPN on the general elections to the broad layers of the working masses.

The meeting also resolved that a Lagos Aggregate Meeting should be convened on February 7^th, 2015 to bring together the ranks of the organisation to clarify and discuss perspectives on the 2015 general elections. The meeting also resolved that branches should hold tablings and mass circulation of pamphlets and leaflets on February 21^st, 2015, which is the only non-election day between 14^th and 28^th February, 2015.

The meeting also resolved that a Public Symposium to appraise the general elections should be held on March 7, 2015. A proposed programme with speakers and themes/sub-themes was circulated and would further be subjected to debate.

The meeting had a political discussion on the 2015 general elections and the working masses. Ayo Ademiluyi, in his lead off explained that all the illusions built around the Jonathan regime in the run up to the 2011 general elections have disappeared largely due to the failure of the regime to deliver on the promises and the avalanche of neo-liberal attacks it has inflicted. He explained that given the pro-capitalist orientation of Buhari and the All Progressives’ Congress, they would not be able to bring about the “CHANGE” they are chanting for the working people. He underlined the fact that the failure of the labour movement to proffer a genuine political alternative has led to the current political confusion that pervades mass consciousness. He concluded that the period after the general elections would spring mass movements against neo-liberal attacks, given the roiling economic crisis, which if the SPN properly intervenes would yield political gains.  

The meeting ended on the strong mood to intensify the struggle for the actualization of the registration and commitment to build the party in spite of its current no-registration. This task would also be combined with the renewed campaign for the crystallization of a new fighting working people’s party that encompasses the broader labour movement.