By ‘Bode Akinbode
The Joint Action Front, a coalition of civil societies organizations have described the two years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a monumental disaster for Nigerians calling on the leadership of labour unions to initiate a nationwide mass action against what it described as anti- people policies of government
Addressing newsmen in Ibadan yesterday at a press conference convened by the Oyo State chapter of the JAF to x-ray the two years of current administration led by President Bola Tinubu , its state coordinator, Comrade Ademola Aremu declared that the body demanded the Immediate reversal of pump price of petroleum products and transparent and democratic control of the sector by elected representatives of the working people .
It also demanded that regulation of the foreign exchange market, to protect the national economy from speculative attacks and safeguard workers livelihoods as well as provision of free, quality, and publicly funded education, healthcare, and other essential services
Other demands made are the immediate halt to the commercialization and privatization of social services, which
marginalize the poor and deepen social inequality, rationalisation of power sector and placing it under democratic control of workers and consumers.
In addition , it demanded for adequate power supply, reversal of hike in electricity and Immediate reversal of all fee hikes in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Comrade Aremu explained that its demand for the reversal of the current fuel pump price to its initial price prior to May, 29, 2023, as well as reversal of fee hikes in tertiary institutions was based on the facts that there is no justification and statistical analysis to warrant such.
It called on all Nigerian workers, students, youths, market women, artisans, and the general public to initiate grassroots mobilization in their communities, workplaces, schools,
and markets to among other things put pressure on the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to organize mass resistance against all anti-people policies of the current administration through mass protests and general strike
“Two years under President Tinubu have delivered nothing but widespread suffering and hopelessness. JAF
unequivocally rejects the false narrative that the people’s suffering is a ” necessary sacrifice” We challenge the elite consensus that there is no alternative to the exploitative system of capitalism.
“As far as the Joint Action Front is
concerned, there is an
alternative–a just socio-economic
order that places people over profit. We reject the failed neoliberal policies of privatization, deregulation, devaluation, and debt patronage promoted by both local elites and their foreign backers.
“These capitalist policies advocated by Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, and their ilk have only entrenched poverty, corruption, and inequality. The viable alternative is Socialism-a system founded on justice, equity, and democratic control of the economy by the working people. Under socialism, Nigeria’s wealth can be harnessed and distributed to benefit the many, not few.
“We therefore call on the Nigerian masses to rise, resist, and organize for the enthronement of this
alternative system, and to ensure that the wealth of our nation is judiciously used for the benefit of the working people and the poor.”, it stated
Comrade Ademola Aremu lamented that the Labour Party which is supposed to champion the cause of workers and the general public and provide good governance has been hijacked by money bag politicians to achieve their political aspirations.
He revealed the organization’s intention to transform into a viable opposition political party in the near future while it considers as a short term measure, taking back the structure of the Labour Party from the current crop of money bag politicians who have hijacked the party from workers.
Also speaking JAF Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye stated that The Labour Party should have protested against fuel subsidy removal, increase in school fees, unemployment, because of its affects on the vast majority of the Nigerian workers
According to him, the party failed in this regard because it has been pocketed by billionaires who are only using it as electoral vehicle.
” The JAF is considering the possibility of going into that party whether within or outside to continue to call on workers that the party belongs to them and not Peter Obi or any billionaire. It is the party of pepper sellers, and workers and that they must go into it and claim it back and to begin to use it towards the enthronement of the government of the workers and the poor.
” These are one of the efforts the JAF is making beyond the possibility of forming its own political party in the near future. And the party will not just be an electoral party but a party that will always be active in all of the struggle of the Nigerian workers for the betterment of the people
An executive member of the JAF, Barrister Ola Adeosun also explained further that the priority of JAF is to mobilize the owners of Labour Party to come and take back the party from the current politicians.
” We are always in the majority, the workers are in the majority, all we need is a coordinated front to bring them all together to confront these politicians that are in the minority and who have been determining the way we live our lives”, he said
Another speaker, Barrister Rashidat Adeshina noted that the opposition parties have failed to live up to their roles, saying that JAF intends to build a genuine political alternative and opposition party that will put the ruling party on its toes.
” This democracy is not for us, it is for the rich and interest of the rich. In the midst of all these hardships, the rich are getting richer , it is the poor that is getting poorer and that is the maximum we can get.
” We have to establish our own genuine democracy that will be in the interest of the poor and the way we can do that is by establishing our own political party , a party that will have policies, programs in the interest of the poor and not the one we currently have “.
Ends
