By Davy Fidel

On Nigeria’s sixty-two year of independence, which is 1st October 2022, thousands of our leaflets are circulated across the country. The MSA comrades in several of the branch used the holiday to intervene by circulating leaflets and discussing with people in the communities.

The reports from the interventions are inspiring, with contacts of those willing to join and support the MSA. In Abuja, the federal capital, comrades circulated leaflets at Eagle square while in Lagos, the comrades circulated the materials in the rally organised by supporters of Peter Obi (also known as “Obi-dient”) of the Labour Party.

However, the rally in Lagos registered a large turnout of youths who are dissatisfied with the state of the running of the economy. While not minding the fact that Peter Obi has been part of the PDP whose policies and programmes contributes to the poor state of the economy we are currently in.

Some youths, gave their support on the bases of the elites’ marginalization of the Obi region (the southeastern part) while others in the “Obidient” movement see Peter Obi as a young candidate different from the Old faces of Atiku, Tinubu and Kwankwaso who have dominated the political space for over 3 decades.

Of course, Peter Obi doesn’t represent the aspirations of the working masses from a Marxist view. However, there is growing support for his presidential aspiration among young people and the working masses seeking a way out of the Buhari regime. 

This is despite the led candidate of the Labour Party being yet to declare his manifesto and programme i.e. on how to rebuild the economy that inflation and cost of living are digging people’s graves.

Though skirmishes of the labour candidate on social media saying he is going to restructure the economy have been sloganeering that are reported. The “restructuring” slogan is not raising the programme of how living conditions can be improved. 

This is the same slogan previous bourgeois politicians have used. For example, Atiku contesting under the People’s Democratic Party, which is not different from the All Progressive Congress that Tinubu is contesting as a presidential candidate.

But as this illusion is growing, many of these youth declaring their support for Peter Obi doesn’t understand that the Labour Party candidate is not different politically from other bourgeois politicians. They see him as a new hope for Nigeria. 

This is in terms of the politics they represent in the capitalist system of Nigeria. The SOLIDARITY in its last edition emphasized this illusion and the consequences that might follow; now and after the general election, especially the period towards 2023. In it, the paper looked at the Labour Party and why the labour bureaucracy hasn’t seized the opportunity at hand to build the party towards defending its interest as working people. 

The MSA observation in the Obi-dient rally on October 1st despite it being an independent day of the country. Fundamentally, it’s doesn’t have any impact on the working masses.

The previous edition of the paper state that “we must not dismiss(ed) the working masses even with their illusion, but be ever patient, constantly continue to reach out to them.” The background of this reality added to the MSA observation of the growing support declared behind Peter Obi among young people.

On the day of the event, leaflets on the sixty-two years of independence and the emergency of the Peter Obi aspiration were widely circulated. In other states like Abuja and Osun, nothing of such took place.

Comrades in those areas circulated the same leaflets and also introduced the paper. The report below have various experiences on both the first and second day of October the comrades observed.

Politically, the 2023 general election might be opened to a lot of drama. Workers, youth and the working masses must exploit the opportunity at hand to build a political alternative that will represent their interests.

The Peter Obi presidency does not represent that interest and way out the working masses are seeking. It will require organising a political mass party of workers and the oppressed to make a difference.

The MSA is in this orientation and we don’t share in the illusion growing among young people and the Obi-dient supporters, especially the political profile is building for the Peter Obi Candidacy.

A socialist alternative of workers and the working masses of organised youth and the oppressed people that will plan, organise and manage the “means of production” democratically; is what shall bail Nigeria from capitalism and placed political power and control in the hands of the working people.

In the meantime, workers must realize the task of organising the working masses, youth, and the oppressed towards building the Labour Party as a fighting party. Not only for electioneering politics but for the ultimate task. This is what is ticking in the heart of today’s struggle and ahead.

Capitalism can’t solve the contradiction facing us or continue to beautify it without a socialist programme that will represent the interest of the working people. This is what confronts us today and the event after the 2023 general election. A new alternative is possible but not with Peter Obi as it is with Atiku and Tinubu. Or, any political parties rooted in defending the aspiration of capitalism. 

MSA INTERVENTIONS AND 
CIRCULATION OF LEAFLETS

ABUJA (1st October): The members of the Movement for A Socialist Alternative (MSA), Abuja took to the street of Abuja on Nigeria Independence Day to circulate leaflets among the rank-and-file Nigerians who were out to celebrate independence. 

It’s worth noting that the entire city of Abuja was militarized with heavily armed men of the Nigerian Airforce, Army, Navy, Police, Civil Defense, DSS and other security agencies. While most people were disallowed to walk in some areas in the capital territory including Eagle’s Square based on the so-called intelligence report; the members of the ruling class also printed a Special I.D for those who they claimed to have been invited and whom they wanted to be present at the event. 

Our article titled “Celebrating Another Independence Day under a Rising Cost of Living” was so captivating that it easily got the attention of the attendees of the so-called “Independence Day Celebration” and the passerby’s who took interest in collecting, reading and also taking down our contact while five persons promised to reach out to us and one person willingly submitted him contact for further political discussion around the social-economic conditions of Nigeria and what needs to be done.

Of course, it was only our Solidarity paper and leaflets that were present as working-class materials on the ground of Eagle square and in the entire city of Abuja on the day of the independence.

Most Nigeria left groups sees no need in organizing any activities around Independence Day thereby leaving it to Buhari and the members of the ruling class to turn the celebration into a political jamboree and use that avenue to further protect and promote the interest of the capitalist politicians. 

The comrades walked through from JABI where we went to receive the Waybill of the MSA leaflets. We used that opportunity to circulate it in JABI/Berger before walking down to Central Area and Eagle’s Square to do the same. Our circulation in the Eagle’s square is to express to the faces of the ruling class that the last Independence Day celebration demonstrated President Buhari’s failure in the social and economic realities since his government leadership (2015).

One thousand leaflets were circulated on Independence Day and 5 papers were sold. The five papers sold were by the members of the Military and the Police force. Nigeria’s 62nd Independence was celebrated when the cost of living is extremely unaffordable. This is in addition to other social services that have become decadent with no political alternative in sight. 

The members of the MSA thereby, present to the masses the political alternative ideas that if the entirety of the working class, the students and youths come together to stand up and defend their rights, and take over power, run it based on democratic control and management and take back all of the privatized/commercialized sectors including the NNPC, Power Sector and Banking Sector; it might bring the best to the mass of the working people. 

Daniel

LAGOS (Ikeja: 1st October): The country is celebrating sixty-two years of independence today, 1st October 2022. At Ikeja (Lagos), thousands, if not a multitude of “Obi-dient” supporters rally from the police college to Ikeja under the bridge and later they continue the march. 

As a first-hand witness, Davy (MSA) saw a multitude, especially young people of boys and girls; men and women, who came out to organise the march. They are not only Igbo folks but Nigerians. People who are displeased with the current government. The support is overwhelming. It is written on the faces of these people.

This support also includes commuters, passersby etc throwing their weight behind Peter Obi’s presidency of the Labour Party. Many people expressed displeasure against the current regime. They are angry about the way the cost of living is lapping each other every day.
 
Some of the old people who spoke expressed bitterness. Food vendors, traders and even passersby registered dissatisfaction with the Buhari government. The illusion is high. However, people are declaring their support to Peter Obi against any candidate like in the APC and PDP.  

While Davy was there to witness it. Though, it was a difficult ordeal. However, the SOLIDARITY paper of the MSA captioned a few Nigerian attention who saw the paper and requested to buy theirs. The sales were a skilful one. Ten papers were sold. Two persons of the Obi-dient supporters bought the paper without frowning.

Writing from the background of the experience. Importantly, building a political alternative of the masses is the way out of the illusion around the Peter Obi candidacy. The working masses and youth must know that. Meanwhile, they must not be blamed for declaring their support behind Peter Obi. Or taking any step they are taking currently.

If the Labour Party have been built with the orientation of rallying workers and the oppressed. Such a phenomenon wouldn’t have emerged. But we are confronted with a serious political stem growing as a tree currently. The trend is massive. I mean the Obi-dient movement. And any socialist or Marxist in her or his right senses would understand that.  

The Peter Obi emergency wouldn’t have gotten this echo as it has evolved. But because the labour bureaucracy is not sailing the party in the direction on how it should go. The working masses are left with no choice but to declare support behind Peter Obi. Thus: this is not to say that Tinubu (APC) and Atiku (PDP) are different.
 
They are a cassock of capitalism. And they are ready to defend the system with their mentality. One thing, Davy noticed was that the supporters are organised. However, they were no material that stipulate the agenda of the candidate. Despite this, the support was massive. It is overwhelming. And thousands of people are speaking in the tone of this thread. 

A few of the workers, Davy reported to have video express their support. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any leaflets to engage them. However, it was a life experience of seeing the heartbeat of people expressing their bitterness about the rot in the politics of the state and the parties emerging.

For a lot of people, Peter Obi’s candidacy is different compared to other candidates. He is seen as the lesser evil. This is the illusion in town. Nobody is interested to know what he represents. What people are interested in is that they want to see a new leaf. They believe that Peter Obi can bring a new Nigeria. 

And this perception is growing fast. The mammoth crowd and supporters Davy reported to have saw i.e without even the candidates present attest to that. It will take courage for you to know how to engage in such a discussion. Any slip of misused words can lead you into unprecedented thunder at your mouth.

In this light, the task now and ahead is that workers must take the lead to organise the working masses and youth independently from the illusion growing. If not, after the 2023 general election, the fundamental questions of building a political way out shall return as the subject matter of what is the way forward? That is the fundamental question at the tongue of today’s history.

Davy Fidel

LAGOS (Festac: 1st October): The October 1st tabling of the movement for a Socialist Alternative MSA moved from an initial venue of Ajegunle to Festac. The new venue happened to be a rallying point for supporters of the LP and we decided to use the event to display our paper and distribute our leaflets.

Members of the MSA intervene with about 800 to 1000 leaflets and these were circulated alongside having discussions with passers-by and other LP supporters. While some supporters were critical of us after reading our criticism of Peter Obi, some took time to listen to us as the rally was going on.

Our intervention was significant such that our leaflets are the only material available at the rally and it will send more messages to people on why Peter Obi, if elected and continues with the neo-liberal policies cannot meet the desires of the working masses. A lot of people having illusions about Peter Obi today have the same illusions about Buhari in 2015, but with the continuing APC capitalist attack, more people are plunged into poverty.

The Obi supporters as we observed are only interested in removing the APC and PDP from the government not minding that, Obi share the same ideology with this set of people. Emphatically, this is not to say consciousness is automatic. It will require the political understanding of the working masses to understand that capitalism is the root cause of inequality, poverty, and economic hardship.

The youth consciousness is to replace the two biggest political parties in power. This is the bitterness on the street as we have witnessed in the Obi-dient rally at Festac and elsewhere comrades observed. However, we expect that the few contacts discussed after digesting the leaflets and understanding our position will get back to MSA.

After leaving the venue, we moved to Alaba market to distribute leaflets and discuss with traders and commuters. Interestingly few copies of the paper were sold. A total of 8 copies of our papers were sold and more than 800 copies of leaflets were circulated.

Comrades will repeat this on Sunday and use the opportunity to mobilise people to our symposium on Monday. The good side of the Obi supporters is their genuineness and their hunger for change. These supporters, even spend their funds on the success of the rally, we saw where some bought water and distribute it to people.

These kinds of genuine supporters are the people looking for an organisation like ours to join. Our leaflets, papers and interactions will get them to join us little by little.

Adams Lateef

OSUN (Ilesa; 2nd October):  Four (4) comrades of the organization intervened at Osun State College of Education (OSSCE), Ilesa. It was a productive outing. We met with the Students’ Union leadership which happens to be a progressive and radical one, a very rare attribute among union leadership in tertiary institutions presently. A public symposium was agreed to hold in conjunction with the SU leadership as soon as NCE students resume.

We couldn’t meet with the NASU, and SSANU due to the closure of the academic session for NCE students. We couldn’t meet with the leadership of COEASU due to a meeting held by the union.

However, we introduced our organization and materials to a few lecturers on the ground. We made contact with a lecturer that was enthusiastic to connect us with the leadership of COEASU. 6 copies of the paper were sold for #1000. Over 100 copies of our leaflets were shared.

Abibat
OAU-Ife

In summary: in the two-day national tabling of leaflet circulation and paper sales. A total of 29 papers were sold and 2000 leaflets were circulated. Lagos (18), Osun (6), and Abuja (5).