NIGERIA UNDER SIEGE: A BROAD-BASED POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE IS URGENTLY NEEDED

We of the Project Victory Call (PVC) Naija, a political education organisation and Convergence for A Working People’s Political Alternative( COPA), an assemblage of pro-people political alternative welcome you to this Press Briefing to urgently address emerging developments in our body polity in the last 48 hours.

HARMONISED ELECTORAL BILL: WHY BUHARI’S ASSENT IS CRUCIAL?

We are now aware that the two Houses of the National Assembly has passed an HARMONISED amendment of the Electoral Bill. We are of the view that this passage is long overdue.

With about 12 months to the 2023 General Elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) has cried out that without a new legal framework in place by the end of January, 2022, it could be forced to work with the extant old Electoral Act 2010.

It is in this light that we welcome the speedy passage of the Electoral Bill by the National Assembly members , upon their resumption from recess.

However, we are aghast that the new HARMONISED Electoral Bill contains all sorts of obnoxious provisions including unconditional deregistration of parties and removal of clauses to challenge certificate of candidates running for election.

Nonetheless, we call for immediate assent of the Electoral Bill by Major General Muhammadu BUHARI (Retired). There is no more excuses for Mr. President.

Our call for assent of the Electoral Bill is in order for the provision for electronic transmission of results to become part of the legal framework for elections, especially at the face of an imminent Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on February 12, 2022.

We hereby give notice that upon the assent of the Electoral Bill by the President, we will take out legal action against the unconstitutional and obnoxious provisions of the Electoral Bill in order for same to be struck down.

FCT AREA COUNCIL ELECTIONS: WE CALL FOR FREE AND FAIR CONDUCT BY INEC

We are aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) has scheduled 12th February, 2022 as date for the Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

This will be the first election in year 2022, preceding the Ekiti and Osun State gubernatorial elections later in the year.

We are of the view that the FCT Area Council Elections is a litmus test for INEC. We call for free and fair conduct during the election. The character of the election will determine the character of the subsequent ones both in 2022 and 2023.

EKITI 2022 ELECTIONS AT GREAT RISK: A CALL FOR VIGILANCE

We are deeply concerned about the fairness of the electoral process as well as the transparency of the internal processes put in place by political parties to nominate candidates for elective positions ahead of the 2023 general election.

While we commend the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) for adopting direct primary model for the selection of its flagbearer for the state’s governorship election scheduled to hold on June 18, 2022,we are particularly concerned about allegations and counter-allegations already dotting the credibility of the governorship primary election of Ekiti APC scheduled to hold on Thursday, January 27, 2022.

The development in Ekiti APC has raised some questions that need be addressed with immediacy if the ruling party really stands for credible elections and if the stakeholders of Ekiti APC will accept the outcome of the internal process now speckled with claims of bribery, manipulations, threat of arrest or victimisation of perceived opponents.

Our concerns are hereunder outlined for immediate redress.

In different reports, the Ekiti APC under the chairmanship of Mr. Paul Omotosho has severally dissociated itself from favouring, sponsoring or supporting any of the aspirants seeking its nomination. Likewise, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi promised to be neutral in the process of nominating the APC flagbearer for the June 18, 2022 governorship election.

We are surprised that Dr. Fayemi has been supporting Oyebanji’s aspiration with all the instruments of the state meant for the protection of Ekiti people.
The security of the APC direct primary is now a source of grave concern for us. Our recent survey has showed that the Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation is in alliance with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). It is now an open secret that the organisation has perfected plans to use political thugs, especially members of the NURTW to gain advantage during the direct primary on Thursday. All security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police and DSS, must investigate this allegation and deploy its intelligence all arsenals to nip the plan in the bud.
As an alliance for credible electoral process, we are concerned about the decision of the CECPC to change Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule as the Chairman of the 2022 Ekiti State Gubernatorial Primary Election without due consultation and explanation. We are also concerned about the unilateral appointment of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar to replace Governor Abdullahi Sule. This decision is arbitrary, undemocratic and unethical. It is a design to favour Fayemi’s anointed candidate, and it must not be encouraged in the interest of our struggling democracy. On this note, we strongly believe Governor Badaru cannot be a fair umpire being an ally of Fayemi and being one of the few governors promoting Fayemi’s presidential aspiration for 2023. He should either rescue himself from the state’s primary election to clear his name or the CECPC should excuse him from the process. Governor Badaru must not be allowed to preside over the primary election if the CECPC must leave a legacy of credibility in Ekiti State.

We are concerned about allegations that Fayemi has been working with the Badaru Committee to influence the process with a whopping sum of N1.2 billion. At a time the people of Ekiti are lamenting acute infrastructure deficit and massive youth unemployment, we are surprised such an amount could be deployed to circumvent the will of the people. There are allegations that result of the process has already been prepared ahead of the primary and will be handed the Badaru Committee for announcement. With these allegations, the credibility of the process has been called to questions and the CECPC must urgently act to clear its name.

On these grounds, we are calling the CECPC under the chairmanship of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni to immediately review all its decisions with respect to the 2022 Ekiti State Gubernatorial Primary Election. As a coalition, we cannot believe the Badaru Committee cannot be an independent umpire because his nomination falls short of democratic standards and allegations against his committee raises questions about his complicity. Also, all aspirants of the APC are equally worried about the arbitrary change of the original committee set up for the state’s direct primary election. All leaders and members of Ekiti APC are worried that all the decisions of the CECPC are designed in favour of Fayemi’s anointed candidate. We, hereby, request that an entirely new committee be constituted with due consultation of all stakeholders at the state and national levels.

We are of the view that the deployment of security apparati in favour of the APC direct primaries stand to jeopardise the interest of smaller parties also organizing their primaries.

PURPORTED SUSPENSION OF PURPORTED FUEL SUBSIDY: LABOUR BEREAUCRATS SHOULD STOP AIDING AND ABETTING THIS REGIME

We are concerned about the suspension of nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress upon the purported suspension of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

We consider the suspension of the fuel subsidy removal as fictitious based on the fuel subsidy is fictitious in itself. What the government wants Nigerians to believe as “fuel subsidy” is handouts to their big business friends who are petroleum importers and marketers.

After deliberately crippling the refineries, the government continue to maintain an harem of petroleum importers and marketers, who are given handouts to satisfy their greed.

To deepen the crisis, the government wants to deregulate the downstream sector. This is more or less to draw blood from haemorrhage patients .

We are of the view that the fundamental agreement of the labour bereaucrats with the policy of deregulation deflates the Struggle in the first place. This is why it is easier for the labour bereaucrats to agree to an “indefinite suspension” of a purported suspension.

Despite the unseriousness of the labour bereaucrats to the planned January 27, 2022 nationwide protests, it is a serious threat to the regime and the entire ruling elite on the brink of 2023 general elections.

Given the ideological capitulation of the labour bereaucrats, it is foreseeable that they cannot wage a comprehensive struggle to defeat deregulation as a neoliberal policy and the capitalist system that it is behind it. However, the current labour bereaucracy is so collaborationist that rank and file workers should not buckle under its dictates.

We call for marches to hold nationwide tomorrow to oppose the false suspension. We reiterate the need for reclaiming of the trade unions by their rank and file as democratic fighting organs of the working class.

We must sustain pressure on the labour bereaucrats to abandon their fundamental support for deregulation and call a general strike. Where they refuse and neglect to call such a general strike, we call for wildcat strikes, mass protests and other forms of civil disobedience to bring to power a working people’s government.

A revolutionary working people’s government that will take the commanding heights of the economy under democratic control is urgently needed to halt the race to the cliff.

Dr. Akinyemi

Being Text of Joint Press Conference of the Project Victory Call (PVC) and Convergence for A Working People’s Political Alternative( COPA) at the Press Floor , Federal High Court, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, 26th January, 2022

DR. BOLAJI O. AKINYEMI
President, Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC-NAIJA)

AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ.
Interim Co-Spokesperson, COPA and Executive Secretary, Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC-NAIJA)

KUNLE WISEMAN AJAYI
Interim Co-Spokesperson,
COPA

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