A call for a Mass Working Peoples’ Party
PRESS STATEMENT
This May 29 marks the second
anniversary of Muhammadu Buhari-led government. For the working people, the
last two years have been a monumental disaster wrought by the anti-poor
capitalist policies of the government. So
what the masses have bitterly experienced in the last two years are rising
prices of goods and services far above their purchasing power,
increasingly high costs of living in a country where the masses have to largely
provide for themselves the basic necessities (education, health, housing,
water, electricity, etc.), job losses and worsening poverty.
While acknowledging the fact that
the Buhari government came to power at a period of a serious crisis of global
capitalism which is exemplified by the slump in the oil prices, we of the
Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) strongly hold that it is the anti-poor neo-liberal
capitalist policies implemented by Buhari/APC government that have seriously
compounded the suffering of the working people. These include increase in
electricity tariff despite widespread darkness, hike in fuel price and
devaluation of Naira. This shows that
Buhari led APC government, despite its grandstanding and propaganda to the
contrary, is not fundamentally different from the previous administrations of
the PDP as both parties support capitalism.
We also hold that the limited
seemingly populist program of Buhari government like anti-corruption crusade
and social welfare empowerment are façade. It should be noted that we fully
support any genuine fight against corruption that will entail recovery of
public loots and imprisonment of the culprits. But the Buhari’s anti-corruption
fight has proved to be more of propaganda than a serious effort aimed at taming
the menace of corruption. This is because as a capitalist government with
agenda like privatization and contract system that inherently promote
corruption, it cannot seriously fight corruption. This explains why on Buhari’s
watch, his Secretary to Federal Government has allegedly enriched himself at the
expense of the victims of Boko Haram’s terror through the infamous “grass
cutting” scandal and the only response was to relieve the secretary of his job
after public outcry that amounts to a slap on the wrist.
The so-called social program like
the much vaunted NPower is not only extremely tokenistic but also much larger in
propaganda than in the actual benefit for the poor masses and youths. For instance, the NPower program has witnessed
a series of protests from the purported beneficiaries who are owed allowances.
It is sad that
workers and the poor masses, who did not significantly benefit anything at the
period of boom, are being made to bear the burden of the crisis of capitalism
and failure of capitalist ruling elite. Unfortunately, the labour movement has
not been able to resist these harrowing attacks. For instance, for more than
two years, workers in at least 27 states have been owed salaries while
political offices holders have earned jumbo allowances and salaries without any
serious fight back initiated and sustained by the national leadership of labour
despite spirited efforts by the affected workers. Also, all what labour could
put up against the wicked fuel price hike in May 2016 was a feeble,
half-hearted resistance.
We therefore call on
the leadership of labour movement to wake up to their responsibility of leading
fight against all capitalist attacks unleashed on workers and the poor masses
and for improved living conditions for the working people. We call on them to show seriousness in their
demand for N56, 000 minimum wage by preparing to fight for it as well as
immediate settlement of all salaries and pensions arrears. As the immediate step, we call on labour to
declare a 24-hour warning general strike over minimum wage, unpaid salaries and
pensions, job losses and mass poverty.
By and large, we hold that the main reason Buhari
government has failed the masses is its capitalist policies and philosophy which
are also shared by all major political parties (APC, PDP, LP, APGA, etc.).
Therefore, for the real change in economy and conditions of the working masses,
a mass working people party on socialist program is needed. Therefore, ahead of
2019 election we call for special conference of trade union,
artisan, trader, youth and socialist organisations to discuss how to build a political
movement to wrest political power from the capitalist ruling elite and enthrone
a workers and poor people's government armed with genuine socialist program.
Chinedu
Bosah
National Secretary, SPN
