TPAP-M Campaign for Socialist Transformation of NIGERIA (CAST-Nigeria) [2022] Press Statement
The Peoples Alternative Political Movement [TPAP-M] is a coalition of individuals and organisations committed to the emergence of a Mass Workers Party, and the Socialist Transformation of Nigeria.
We are a movement of solidarity, the class solidarity of the exploited and oppressed in Nigeria and across the world.
As Nigeria observes the 62nd anniversary of its ‘Flag’ independence from colonial subjugation, the same problems that bedevilled us as Nation last year, and previous years continue without any end in sight in fact things are getting from bad to worse. Political Campaigns have started and the Candidates of the Political Parties are up to their usual antics; making promises about the Eldorado that NIGERIA would become if they are elected into office, but as evidence by the State of the Nation since flag independence till date and more recently since the return of the Civilian rule in 1999, the ruling class whether PDP, APP ANPP, A AD, CPC, APGA,AC, ACN or APC have nothing to offer other than economic misery, insecurity, privatisation etc.
For instance political parties concluded their primaries months ago, with the emergence of their candidates for respective offices; however, none of the major political parties, or their Presidential Candidates have deemed it fit up till now to release or make available their respective Manifestos for the election; even though all of them were aware of the INEC time table, and knew that national campaigns were to kick off by the 28th of September, 2022.
It is this kind of nonchalant attitude to the interests of the working masses that has brought us to our knees as a nation.
It is on the strength of this premise that we make bold to submit that Capitalism; Capitalists, Neo Liberalism and Imperialism has nothing to offer Nigerians and or Humanity.
Socialism is the way out of the quagmire and it is the solution to our problems. The People’s Alternative Political Movement (TPAP-M) would be using the period of this elections to make a Case for Socialism through the Campaign for the Socialist Transformation of NIGERIA (CAST- NIGERIA).
It is important to establish some grounds before proceeding.
Firstly that we support the right of Nigerians to make their choice at the polls, even as we have said there is no real alternative on the ballot. The sanctity of the ballot should be protected at all cost.
Secondly, that the Candidates and Political Parties should not overheat the polity raising issues bothering on ethnicity and religion to divert the attention of Nigerians from the real issues because they really have no solutions.
We call on them to address the issues and profer solutions and leave Nigerians to decide for themselves. It is in line with this position that we would be challenging all Political Parties and their Candidates to debates on their Capitalist programmes and Manifestos.
This is in a bid to establish the fact empirically that they don’t have the answers to our problems.
Thirdly, that the purpose of our engagement during this period is to raise the banner of Socialism and change the narrative during this elections; to change the focus from the politicians to the People. To mobilize Nigerians into the Movement so that they can be organized and have a voice and have the capacity to push back and resist bad policies now and after the 2023 Elections.
Fourthly, that left led and leaning Political Parties have been kept out of the Political process for too long because of the anti people electoral laws and policies. This had made it difficult to get registered and making it easy to deregister our Parties and or ensure that they don’t operate optimally.
TPAP-M attempted to register a Party but INEC frustrated our efforts just like so many others from getting registered.
We are putting INEC and Nigerians on notice that immediately after the general elections we are continuing with our registration process.
Finally, we want to state that the task of building a Mass Movement and a Mass Workers Party is one that requires all hands to be on deck to build a Mass party, owned and controlled by the Mass.
We must organize and build capacity of our people so that everyone counts and has ownership of the Party. A Socialist Mass Party can only emerge when the masses are in it. It is for this reason that when we wanted to register a Party to contest and explore other options when that failed we were not under any illusions about what the task was and we were very clear about our objectives which was to raise the banner of Socialism.
During this period we would organize The Rallies of the People and Town Hall Meetings across the Country, conscientise and educate the Nigerian people virtually and physical and engage the ruling class to expose their impotence to salvage NIGERIA.
The Case for Socialism;
We shall present the case against Capitalism (and the disaster it has brought on us as a people), and make the case for Socialism (and the potential benefits that a system based on and driven by the collective power of the working people can bring our way); and while doing so, we shall provide the evidence to persuade us on why we need to actively organise and mobilise to Resist (the hardships being imposed on us), Reject (the Capitalist System responsible for these hardships), and Embrace the Socialist Alternative (the system based on social justice, equity, equitable distribution of wealth, and equality in universal Access to opportunities and basic social services)……
Where Do We Start From…….
In Nigeria today, living and surviving has become such a very nearly impossible task. Prices of basic necessities are soaring out of the reach of ordinary people, while the overwhelming majority of the working peoples and toiling masses are increasingly unable to access and afford basic services – such as in Education, Health, Humane Housing, public transportation, energy to for domestic and business consumption, security and safety of the person and their properties, among other things.
We can truly say, we have never had it so bad! Nevertheless, in reality, since the 1999 return to civilian rule, and the inauguration of the Fourth Republic, things have been on a roller coaster of decline. The rain started beating us a very long time ago.
And as we approach another General Election in 2023, the Main Political Parties, the Major Candidates of these Ruling Class political parties, and so-called well meaning ruling class politicians and representatives of the ruling class, will come to us and begin to spin stories about how as a nation we have made progress, how as a people our conditions have been improved, how nevertheless, we could have performed better, and why they are the chosen ones, selected by the gods, to come to our rescue, fix the gaps, correct the errors, take us to new and higher heights, and salvage our country!
They will point to us as indication of progress, that we have conducted several general elections; that we have had many different governments, and even had the instance of a defeated incumbent government and ruling party, hand over power to a victorious opponent and opposition party! Yes, Progress Indeed!
What they will not say is that under their collective watch as a ruling class, the capitalist system over which they have presided has led to the literal ruin of the overwhelming majority of the working people and toiling masses.
Under their light fingered and incompetent class leadership, this capitalist system that prioritises profits over people, individual greed over collective need, and the madness of the market over democratic planning has brought us to ruin, and pushed the country to the brink of collapse.
After 22 years of their callous and treasury looting rule, the policies of the capitalist system over which they have presided have only resulted in disastrous consequences of catastrophic dimensions.
The impact of the exploitative capitalist system on the people, here at home and globally, have always resulted in disasters, from the ever-rising cost of living, leading to a cost of living crisis, to the deepening pandemic of insecurity, the tale of death and destruction continue to be the lot of the working people and toiling masses.
From 1999 till date, through 7 general elections [1999,2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, & 2019], and four different governments [Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan & Buhari], the ruling class have imposed increasingly unbearable burdens of Hardships, on the popular masses, through unprecedented and constantly intensifying levels of exploitation of caused by the capitalist system that they continue to foist on us.
The Evidence …….
We are not making up stories. Through information provided by official sources, ranging from sources as varied as the National Bureau of Statistics [NBS], the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], NNPC, World Bank, and reputable newspapers and journals, we shall here present their ignoble Scorecard of capitalism, and track the disastrous record of the catastrophic failure of the ruling class.
Comrade Omotoye Olorode.
Comrade Jaye Gaskia.
TPAP-M Secretariat
