The Coalition for Revolution (CORE) says there will be “no retreat, no surrender” in its mobilisation for #RevolutionNow, as it gears up for the first in a series of #DaysOfRage that will bring working-class people and youth to the street on Monday 5 August. They aim to flag-off a popular struggle for system change. The Coalition also expressed its appreciation of “the widespread condemnation of the arrest of Omoyele Sowore, National Chair of the African Action Congress (AAC) and a leader of the #RevolutionNow movement” and reiterated the demand; #FreeSowore
These positions were made in a press statement issued on Sunday 4 August, jointly signed by Olaseni Ajai and Baba Aye, the CORE Co-Conveners. The Coalition noted that the gestapo-like arrest of Omoyele Sowore was an attempt by the federal government to behead the rising mass movement. But, such antics of the bankrupt government are dead on arrival.
Sowore and the movement, as CORE points out, “merely represent the deep-seated anger of the people against the corrupt, incompetent and illegitimate rule of APC (and PDP)” and the collective yearning of the working masses to build a better society. They are ready to fight for this.
The leader of AAC and Convener of the Take It Back movement was arrested in the early hours of Saturday 3 August by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS). They were armed to the teeth and damaged Sowore’s car, as the driver tried to block their escape route after the state-executed abduction. Just as it has been the major institutional terrorist in the northeast, the state has now shown the world as well that it is not only bandits that are ruthless kidnappers!
There has been a barrage of criticism of this repressive act of the state. Politicians, civil society activists, lawyers, musicians etc have taken to twitter or issued statements demanding Sowore’s immediate release and respect for the constitutional right of #RevolutionNow activists to protest.
This “movement of working people and youth filled with rage at the incompetence of the corrupt and disgraced band of rogues at the helm of affairs”, as SWL noted in an earlier press statement signed by Lai Brown, its National Secretary, will not be held back by this arrest or any oppressive measures rolled out by the government. It “is like a thousand fires smouldering underneath the feet of the thieving bosses in Aso Rock and their disciples.” It is an idea whose time has come. It will consume APC, PDP and the entire ruling class of thieving exploiters.
Across the country CORE activists remain undaunted despite surveillance of coordinators and leading members, including invitations by the DSS command in several states. The CORE stance nationwide remains No Retreat, No Surrender! And the five CORE demands are:
- an economy that works for the masses (and not a handful of individuals, banks and foreign multinationals).
- an effective and democratic end to insecurity and insurgency
- an end to systemic corruption and for total system change in the interest of all
- the immediate implementation of the N30,000.00 minimum wage at all levels in the public service as agreed with the trade unions.
- Education as an enforceable right and not a privilege
A spark of revolution will be lit on 5 August. Be part of this historic march towards our self-emancipation as working-class people and youth. Socialist Workers & Youth League (SWL) is a founding member of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE). Members of the SWL will be at the barricades with the people in several towns and cities tomorrow, tomorrow. Join us to blaze the fires of popular power from the spark of our collective rage. Join the struggle for #RevolutionNow!
by ‘Todun JAGUN
