Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM)

For struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria

Committee for a Workers' International logo

Committee for a Workers' International

 

Home
Join DSM
Contact DSM

Fuel Crisis

About us
Our Manifesto
Statements
Donate

Nigeria Crisis: Time for System Change

Socialist Democracy

Newspaper of the DSM


Campaigns
NCP
Trade Unions
Students
Women
International
Links

May 18, 2006

National Conscience Party

South-West Zone meeting

Oshogho, Osun State

May 18, 2006

Statement on the current Nigerian situation

The meeting notes that the Obasanjo regime's plot to extend its rule beyond 2007 has failed. It rejoices with Nigerians for checkmating the elongation of the regime that has brought only monumental hardship, poverty for the mass majority of the people. It however alerts the people that until a working peoples party comes to power, it is not yet hurrah. While noting the role played by the National Assembly in killing the bill for the elongation of the tenure of the regime, the meeting affirms that both chambers of the National Assembly are not against the regime on its anti-poor policies. It therefore calls on all pro-labour organisations, mass political parties with similar ideology and programmes with NCP to work together to wrestle political power from these political vultures and their parties that have made life miserable for the poor masses. It is only this that can bring an end to mass poverty in the midst of plenty.

 

The meeting also frowns at the way and manner in which the Obasanjo regime is running the country. While the regime makes a lot of money, especially from the sales of crude oil alone, the huge resources has never been used for the betterment of the poor working people. Instead, it is being used to pay fictitious foreign debts and reckless spending on electricity that has so far continued only to generate darkness. For example, a sum of N1.28 trillions has been spent to purportedly overhaul electricity generation and supply since the regime came to power without anything to show for it. The meeting calls for a socio-economic strategy that places the needs of the masses at the centre of governance as opposed to the current but failed strategy that only enriches a few at the price of escalation mass poverty in the midst of inexhaustible potentials.

 

To this end, the meeting calls on the national leadership of the party to reach out to like minds within the proletarian class � the NLC, TUC, CFTU, Labour Party, etc, towards forming a formidable platform to seize power from the present ruinous politicians and their parties.

 

The meeting also notes with regret the level of unpreparedness of the INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) for the forthcoming general elections. With less than one year to the elections, the voters list is yet to be reviewed amongst others. It therefore calls on the government to put in place all necessary logistics to facilitate INEC work so that it could discharge its responsibility for elections to hold as scheduled. It also reiterated that INEC composition should be made up of representatives of all political parties as against the present arrangement wherein only an incumbent President, a mere representative of a partisan political party, alone practically constitutes the INEC. The meeting also carefully analyses debates on manual and electronic voting and notes that electronic voting has been massively rejected by the majority of the people who are the real voters. Based on this, the meeting calls on INEC not to adopt a measure that has been roundly rejected by all political parties excluding the ruling PDP, and even by the National Assembly. In conclusion, the meeting calls on INEC to put in place measures to ensure free and fair elections and not to repeat the dubious collaborative roles it played in the general farce called 2003 general elections.

 

 

The meeting also condemns the marginalisation and militarisation of the Niger Delta. It notes the strong-armed tactics of the government in Niger Delta, which has never worked and will never work. It therefore calls on the government to address all the fundamental problems confronting the Niger Delta people and lift the military siege it has placed on the people of the region. Consequently, the meeting calls on the government to release without further delay all the leaders of nationalist groups of the OPC, MASSOB, NDPVF, etc currently being detained.

 

Segun Sango

Lagos State Chairperson,

For and on behalf of Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos states NCP leadership.