SPN OYO AND 2019 ELECTIONS: WE ARE PROUD OF OUR BRAVE INTERVENTION!

We thank all supporters and remain committed to the defence of the working people and our socialist programme

 

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Oyo State is proud of its brave intervention in the governorship and state house of assembly election held in the state on the 9th March, 2019. This election which had Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye popularly known as Abbey Trotsky as the party gubernatorial candidate alongside four other leading members of the party as candidates for the state house of assembly election offered the opportunity to reach out to mass of working people across the state with socialist alternative including how to fight for better conditions in short and medium terms. We thank members, supporters particularly our collaborators in labour movement whose political and financial support made this possible.

While other political parties in the election were busy repeating the old fine sounding words, only SPN had clear programme of ending entrenched corruption in government, developing infrastructure and social services and improving the living and working conditions of the working people. No other political party promised to end jumbo emoluments of senior government officials; only SPN promised to place government officials on worker's salary. No other political party promised to end fraudulent contract system that has become the conduit pipe for direct and indirect looting. No political party aside SPN promised to end fraudulent allocations such as security votes. It was only SPN that openly came in support of free and quality education and healthcare, and mass job provision starting with massive investment in social services.

The tremendous electoral campaign throughout many streets, towns and cities across the state, has helped raise the profile of the SPN not only as a new party but as a socialist political alternative platform for workers, the poor and mass of the oppressed strata across the state. The campaign also enhances the activities of building the party. Aside the increase in the membership strength of the party there are wider spread of SPN members across the state at the present time. To us in SPN all of these are political victories even though the mass sympathy and reception our campaign received among the mass of the working people in the state did not eventually translate into votes to dislodge the anti-poor, anti-worker government of Ajimobi/ APC.

Nevertheless, we are proud of the very modest votes of 166 votes recorded by our party. These votes were earned and not bought! This is unlike major bourgeois political parties which secured their so called respective votes through the act of wide spread cases of vote buying, inducement of the electorate and voters’ intimidation including multiple voting in connivance with INEC.

It is our believe in SPN that any government formed by the political party or individual that benefits from heavy monetisation of elections will sooner or later compromise the interest of the working people. This is because its priority will be focused on how to satisfy the interest of billionaire politicians who only invest their ill-gotten money in election simply to loot the public treasury. 

Despite the heavy vote buying, it is important to note that, PDP's candidate was able to win because of the existed mood of mass anger against the anti-poor APC government and the desire of the majority of voters in Oyo state to bring an end to such a regime without being mindful of its replacement. Nonetheless, we of the SPN will like to warn that the PDP, given the experiences of the masses when the party was in power in the state and elsewhere currently or in the part, is as anti-poor as the APC. So the masses should prepare to fight to improve their conditions and to force the incoming government to implement its electoral promises. We of the SPN will always be with the masses in their struggles for free and public funded quality education and health care at all levels, potable water, infrastructure provision, minimum wage and decent working conditions, etc.

By and large, only a government formed on a socialist programmes can guarantee the provision of standard and durable road infrastructure, free and quality public education, health care , jobs and other basic social amenities 

This is why we thank and appreciate the courage and determination of the workers, students and poor masses who defied all forms of intimidation and chose to swim against the overwhelming tide of mass illusion and confusion to cast their votes for the SPN. At the same time, we call on them to take a bold step to join SPN as we are determined not to relent but continue to use every opportunity to canvass for a socialist alternative and programme that will ensure that the resources of Oyo state are utilized to turn around the lives of workers and ordinary people instead of corruption and profligacy of privileged few.

SIGNED
 

Comrade Adigun Ayodeji
SPN state Secretary
08034817064