Saturday 24 February 2018

Lagos SPN Holds Meeting, Elects Protem Exco



On Saturday February 24 the Lagos State Chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) held its first meeting since the registration of the party. In attendance were about 50 members from 10 local government areas including a sizeable number, who joined after the registration victory.   How to build the SPN as a formidable opposition in Lagos including building the party in communities in the state was discussed. Comrade Adeola Soetan led the discussion. Judging from the contributions members are committed and enthusiastic to playing very active role in building the party as a pro-masses, agitational and fighting political platform. The party will not just  exist for political power but also a platform for defence and promotion of the rights and interests on the working masses, youth and the poor  in communities and workplaces. 

To walk the talk, the party members at the meeting put their money where their mouth was as a struggle fund  of N100, 000, out of which   N28,000 has been collected, was raised. There was also a pledge to donate a desktop computer and printer to aid the work of the party. Two members also pledged between them the printing of 7000 copies of SPN flier. 

To drive the building and  the affairs of the party-  in the state in the next three months a 5-person  protem executive was elected at the meeting. They are Rufus Olusesan as Chair, Moshood Osunfunrewa Secretary, M K Shoyombo Publicity Secretary, Ronke Adebayo Treasurer and Ayo Ademiluyi Legal Adviser    

Protem Exco Lagos SPN


Election of Protem Exco

Election of Protem Exco


Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika

Adeola Soetan

   

Thursday 22 February 2018

SPN Rejects Imposition of Yoruba Language for tertiary institution admission

Public funded free and quality education for all devoid of discrimination should be the priority

PRESS STATEMENT
The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) condemns a new law recently signed by the Lagos state governor Akinwumi Ambode that makes passing Yoruba language at Secondary School Leaving Examinations a requirement for admission into any of the tertiary institutions owned by the Lagos State. We call for its immediate abrogation as it is discriminatory and a violation of the fundamental rights of residents of Lagos state who are not Yoruba.

To be clear, we welcome all policies aimed at promoting and safeguarding indigenous languages including Yoruba in Nigeria. However, such policy must not promote discrimination and social exclusion of Nigerians to whom the language in question is not their mother tongue.

To us, this new law is discriminatory and an attempt to introduce apartheid in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos which has a huge population of residents who are non-Yoruba. Besides, these non-Yoruba residents are also taxpayers. So, enforcing the law would mean that they will be denied enjoying the benefits of their taxes that are used to fund the state tertiary institutions among other government responsibilities because of their language. More so, public education is largely underfunded such that Yoruba language is not well taught at public primary and secondary schools for the benefit of those who want to learn it. This also goes for other subjects which explains why top government officials, including those in the cabinet of Governor Ambode, do not have their children in public schools.

We also see this law as a continuation of orchestrated attacks on the poor and ordinarily people by the successive administrations in the state which have witnessed demolitions of workplaces, markets and houses without adequate compensations or alternative provisions. This is because it is the non-Yoruba children from the poor and working people background, who cannot afford expensive private university education as the rich, that will be disproportionately affected by this law.

We call all the working masses irrespective of ethnic backgrounds as well as trade unions to reject this anti-poor and apartheid law as injury to one is an injury to all.
 
Chinedu Bosah
National Secretary, SPN

Monday 19 February 2018

SPN Holds Meeting in Benue, Egan Lagos - Photo News

On Saturday February 17 Benue State Chapter of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) held their first meeting. In Lagos, the Egan chapter of the party in Alimosho local government held their second meeting. 

Benue State Chapter



Egan Alimosho Local Govt Lagos

Egan Alimosho Local Govt Lagos

Tuesday 13 February 2018

SPN Launched with Public Meeting in Okokomaiko Lagos - Photo News


Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) held a public symposium to announce the birth of SPN Okokomaiko  Lagos Chapter on Saturday 10th of February, 2018


Theme: SPN: Our plan to rescue Nigeria and put an end to poverty, unemployment and inequality. Sub-theme: Police brutality, killing and extortion: way forward for Nigerian masses.

Speakers included Adeolu Oyekan, Assistant Secretary General Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter and Dagga Tolar Acting General Secretary Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) 









Saturday 10 February 2018

SPN Commences Sensitization Activities in Communities



        
Hitting the ground running is how best to describe the activities of the Socialist Party of Nigeria since January 15 when the party formally collected its certificate of registration. On social media and in communities the party has embarked on discussion as well as efforts on membership drive of and build the party as a working people. Though not yet thronged by a mass of people, this is expected at this stage anyway, the party has been attracting, across the length and breadth of the country, individuals and groups who are change-seeking and desirous of building a better Nigeria.  The next phase is to organize these diverse individuals and groups as the builders of the party at wards, local councils and states across the country on the basis of the party program. However, where the party already has a presence there is immediate need for entrenchment. 

On that account, between Saturday Feb 3 and Sunday Feb 4, different forms of activities towards building of the party were held in Lagos, Osun and Oyo states. In Lagos, a flier of the party sensitizing the public on the program of party and asking the masses to join us were circulated in Abule-Egba, Okokomaiko and Ajegunle. 
Abule-Egba Lagos


In Abule Egba, party members embarked on sensitization activities in the community. Remarkably, a young woman came back to our stand some minutes after apparently having read the flier handed to her to demand more copies for circulation her in neighborhood. There was also an elderly man who spent about 40 minutes at our stand for discussion on the party. He believes that solution to Nigerian problem is a bloodless revolution and agreed to join the party. Of course, taking over power or winning offices and implementing the program of the party will set the country on the path of a social revolution.  

Abule-Egba Lagos

Similar sensitization activities took place at Okokomaiko where party members are currently helping organize campaign against police brutality sparked by the killing of one person by the police. This weekend a public meeting will be held to discuss the need for masses to join and build the SPN as well as the campaign on police brutality.   

In Ajegunle, the first meeting of the party in community was held at which a 4-person protem leadership was elected. Chinedu Bosah, National Secretary of the party was in attendance. 

Ajegunle Lagos

It should be recalled that the formation of the SPN was initiated by the DSM with support of some working class and youth activists. The registration of the party was achieved not on a silver’s platter but through political and legal struggles waged by the DSM members and supporters.  So the members of DSM have tasked themselves with mobilizing other change seeking elements to build the party as a true party of the working masses and the poor.

On that account, on Saturday in Osogbo a joint conference of DSM branches in Osun and Ondo was held to discuss how to recruit members into the SPN, set up structure of the party at ward and local government in two states and build the SPN as a party that truly represents the interests and aspiration of workers, youths and the masses. 
Osogbo Osun State

On Sunday similar meeting with the same agenda was held in Ibadan where representatives of DSM branches in Oyo state as well as Ilorin Kwara state were in attendance. SPN membership drive flier and Membership forms were shared at the both meetings, attended by Dagga Tolar, DSM Acting General Secretary, for distribution by comrades at their different areas. Also a struggle fund of N100,000 was launched separately at both states to finance some immediate activities  towards the building of the party. 

Ibadan Oyo State
Earlier, Osun state chapter had posted posters highlighting what the party stands for in strategic areas in Osogbo and Ile-ife. 

Similar meeting had been earlier held on Saturday January 27 in Lagos with representatives of branches in the state as well as Ogun. It was at the meeting that public activities held on February 3 were agreed. The meeting also proposed that the Lagos state meeting of the party be held on Saturday February 25.  

Lagos

In Abuja a meeting, the third one since the collection of the certificate, was held on Sunday February 4.

The secretariat of the party is already working towards stimulating the party functions at different states we have had members. We however urge members to begin practical steps of organizing and building where they are at least two.  To rescue Nigeria from the shackle of the thieving capitalist ruling elite, as we have set out to achieve, our correct idea and program has to be matched with a formidable organization.