Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has admonished the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other labour unions to without delay declare a 48-hour nationwide strike and embark on mass street protests.
The party noted that the strike was necessary in order to demand immediate reversal of price of petrol and electricity tariff increment by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
DAILY POST had reported that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) recently directed its members in the South-West States to sell Petrol at N162 per litre.
The electricity tariff across the country has also been increased, though many groups of individuals and organizations have kicked against the increments.
SPN in its opinion, noted that a 48-hours strike with mass action could be a more appropriate way to commence such a fightback.
The party in a statement signed by its Oyo Secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun remarked that the 48-hour strike will help to guarantee an effective mobilisation of the masses in preparation for a prolonged and determined struggle required to force a total reversal of the hike in pump price of petrol, electricity tariffs, VAT as well as other anti-people’s policies of the Buhari-led government.
Adigun in the statement made available to DAILY POST in Ibadan on Wednesday said, “The National leadership of NLC and TUC should declare a 48-hour nationwide strike with mass street protest to demand immediate reversal of the pump price and electricity tariff hike.
“We of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, Oyo State chapter declare our support to the decision of the Joint Action Front, JAF, to commence the mass mobilisation of the Nigerian working people towards a mass protest to reject and defeat both the hike in the price of petrol and electricity tariff and other obnoxious policies of the Buhari/APC administration.
“SPN hereby uses the occasion of this JAF mass mobilisation activities which are only commencing today to reiterate its opposition to the hike in the pump price and electricity tariff while demanding an immediate and unconditional total reversal.
“As a result of this hike in the pump price and electricity tariff, SPN notes that the already high prices of food items, transportation and the cost of education, health care including house rents have become more unbearable. We, therefore, believe that except there is a reversal of this growing trend, the living condition of mass of the Nigerian working people which has already been battered by the consequences of various anti-people policies of successive pro-capitalist governments in the country and recent economic dislocation occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic will definitely be worsened.
“It is in the consideration of this, that SPN calls on the National leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Trade Union Congress, TUC to declare a 48-hour strike with mass action for effective mobilization of Nigerian working people in preparation for a protracted struggle to defeat the onslaught.
“SPN welcomes the decision of the national leadership of TUC to embark on an indefinite strike and mass protest on the 23rd September, 2020 should the Buhari-led government fails to reverse the hike in both the price of petrol and electricity tariff within seven days. There is no doubt that this onslaught by the Buhari-led government needs to be given a serious fight back.
“However, it is our belief in SPN that a 48-hour strike with mass action could be a more appropriate way to commence such a fightback. It will help to guarantee an effective mobilisation of mass of the working people in preparation for a prolonged and determined struggle required to force a total reversal of the hike in pump price of petrol, electricity tariff, VAT as well as other anti-people policies of the Buhari-led government.
“In a circumstance whereby the leadership of NLC are not willing to declare a general strike, SPN calls on workers, artisans, students and youths within communities to begin to set up action committees with a view to beginning to organise independent protest actions within their respective communities and link up with other groups with similar initiatives for a joint action to defeat this anti-poor onslaught of Buhari government”.
