Thursday, 4 May 2017

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN LAGOS: INEC MUST REGISTER SOCIALIST PARTY NOW IN ORDER TO JOIN THE ELECTORAL FRAY!



PRESS STATEMENT

We of the Lagos State Chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) view the recent declaration by Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASSIEC) of 22nd July, 2017 as the date for elections into elected offices in Lagos State local governments as long overdue. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission has been under obligation by virtue of a subsisting court judgment to conduct the elections but have delayed until now due to self-serving reasons.

Nonetheless, we hold that the forthcoming local council poll is another major reason why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should immediately issue the SPN its Certificate of Registration in order to participate in the electoral contest. The SPN has met all requirements of the law as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) while INEC has refused to issue the party its Certificate of Registration.

Without pro-working people’s parties such as the Socialist Party allowed to field candidates, the forthcoming elections will parade the host of anti-poor candidates that have made life intolerable for the mass of working people. Since inauguration in power, the Akinwunmi Ambode-led All Progressives’ Congress–controlled Lagos State Government has unleashed ceaseless attacks on the poor people in the state. These include demolition of waterfront communities which inflicted innocent and poor residents with losses of lives and properties. The regime’s major pursuit is to make Lagos the exclusive preserve for the super-rich as the lands grabbed from the poor have been sold to big pockets and the friends of government in big business.

We call on mass of workers, traders, artisans, community people to join the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) and the campaign for its registration. SPN calls on the entire labour movement to build its own mass working people’s political alternative against all the pro-rich parties. All the looters have their own parties, the working people need a political voice of their own.

Moshood Osunfurewa
State Secretary

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