The Socialist Workers League fully supports the 2 August nationwide mass action of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Our members will join labour-led demonstrations across the country. The need for coordinated resistance of working-class people at this moment in our history cannot be overemphasized.
Right from the first day of its barely 2-month-old reign as president of the federation, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched neoliberal attack after neoliberal attack against the poor working people while hypocritically saying “let the poor breath.”
His removal of the fuel subsidy has resulted in the fuel pump price of PMS skyrocketing from N187 at the end of May to N617 today. The Student Loans Act he enacted has been used as a legitimation to further the commercialisation of tertiary education. Tuition fees in the universities have increased by up to 200%.
His 31 July 2023 national broadcast was yet another of his deceitful stratagems. He claims to be part of the masses fighting some undefined elites. But we all know this is a lie. Mr Tinubu is a multi-billionaire. Mrs Tinubu made it clear that they are the richest “first family” on ascension to power in the history of the country. And most of Tinubu’s wealth came after he served as governor of Lagos state, and institutionalised means of syphoning from that rich state’s wealth for as long as he lives.
We also know that the Tinubu family are part of those who included the malaise of scam into a subsidy regime that was necessary in the first place because the ruling class failed in the simple task of refining crude oil locally. OandO run by Tinubu’s nephew has been identified by the Senate as one of the top beneficiaries of the scam.
We thus endorse NLC’s position that Mr Tinubu’s “speech indeed appears to be out of touch with reality” and does not in any way address “the hardship and suffering that most Nigerians are going through now.”
As SWL we urge NLC, TUC, the civil society movement and the working masses to take tomorrow’s nationwide protests as a first step in an unwavering struggle until we defeat the neoliberal order of the government and its imperialist backers.
We thus welcome the united stance of the three leading radical civil society coalitions, A-SCAB, CORE & JAF on this mass action and for the intense struggle that lies ahead of us.
We must organise, mobllise, unite and fight! And our demands remain:
- Reverse the fuel pump price to N187 with immediate effect
- No to tuition fees: provide free & qualitative public education as a right
- Stop all neoliberal policies that have made living hell for the poor
- Strip public officials of the perks and privileges which cost billions of naira
- Tax the rich to fund social services for the working people
Frances AKINJOLE (National Chairperson) & Mobolaji OTUYELU (National Secretary) for SWL Central Committee
1 August 2023
