2 YEARS OF TINUBU’S GOVERNMENT: POVERTY AND HARDSHIP INTENSIFY DUE TO IMPLEMENTATION OF ANTI-POOR POLICIES

SPN DEMANDS REVERSAL OF ALL ANTI-POOR POLICIES AND CALLS ON LABOUR AND PRO-PEOPLE ORGANISATIONS TO RESIST TINUBU’S DICTATORSHIP AND ANTI-PEOPLE POLICIES

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) restates its condemnation and opposition to the way and manner the Tinubu-led government is running the country aground vis-à-vis the anti-poor policies and attacks on democratic rights.

Truly, two years ago when Tinubu’s government was inaugurated, the economy was in bad shape simply because the Buhari-led government sustained and implemented capitalist policies. However, following the intensification of the same capitalist policies, poverty and economic hardship have greatly worsened under the Tinubu government. Hence, a departure from these policies is the only way out of the country’s socio-economic and political crises and not its sustenance.

The implementation of full deregulation of the oil and gas sector through “subsidy removal” and astronomical hike in fuel prices; the devaluation of the Naira and hike in electricity tariff amongst other anti-poor policies have deepened the cost of living crises, increased poverty and hardship amongst the working people and the poor. These anti-poor policies have equally increased cost of production and services, leading to collapse of many businesses, forcing many to produce way below capacity and creating more retrenchment and joblessness.

These anti-poor policies also account for the skyrocketing rise in food prices, making it difficult for many people to feed. For instance, 2 years ago, a crate of egg was sold for about N2,500 but now sells for N6,000 which is a whooping 240% increment. The steep rise of price of egg is an example of how increasingly difficult it is for most Nigerians to adequately feed. The telecommunication companies increased tariff recently by 50% with the backing of the Tinubu’s government. Education and healthcare have also come under intense attacks leading to increase in cost of education and healthcare; most tertiary educational institutions have increased school fees astronomically. The Tinubu’s government, like its predecessors, has completely abandoned the housing sector with an estimated 28 million housing deficit, a situation that is being exploited by most shylock landlords and property owners leading to high rent and homelessness.

To survive the harsh economy, an average family of four would need at least N300,000 but the minimum wage is a paltry N70,000 while many casual workers earn lower than the minimum wage. In other words, the N70,000 minimum wage is now a joke compared to the cost of living. The working class earn so little for creating wealth but many top political office holders and management staff earn outlandish allowances and salaries, as much as 30 million Naira monthly aside from perks costing over N200 million Naira.

The Tinubu-led government has also intensified attacks on the democratic rights and witch-hunt of dissent. Thousands of protesters came under attack, arrest, detention and persecution while scores were killed for protesting hardship across the country in the #Endbadgovernance mass protest last August and the anniversary of #EndSARS in October 2024. SPN condemns Tinubu’s civilian dictatorship and entrenchment of a Police State; we also demand the drooping of all trumped-up charges and an end to growing attacks on democratic rights.

The working class and the poor masses should not sow any illusion in the other capitalist political parties as they represent same of same. The capitalist candidates of PDP (Atiku Abubakar) and Labour Party (Peter Obi) all professed the same anti-poor programmes as Tinubu of the APC prior and after the 2023 general election and it means that there is no genuine opposition from these capitalist parties and their candidates. Real and genuine opposition and resistance can only come from the working class and its traditional working class platforms and leadership. Unfortunately, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have largely abandoned the struggle in defence of the working class. We call on workers and the poor to put pressure on the labour leaders to lead struggles against anti-poor capitalist policies and organise independently to defeat and replace all right-wing and pro-state/management labour leaders. Workers and the poor should also independently organise resistance against Tinubu’s anti-poor policies and dictatorship including building a mass working people party on a socialist program as a vehicle to defeat the self-serving and anti-poor politicians and parties.

The implementation of capitalist policies for decades is responsible for the economic crises and hardship in Nigeria. This is so because these capitalist policies only defend the super-rich and wealthy while condemning workers and the masses into economic crises. Only socialism, including working class democratic control, can place the interest of the vast majority at the centre of economic planning such that meet the needs of all.

Abiodun Bamigboye

Acting National Chairperson

Chinedu Bosah

National Secretary

E-mail: [email protected]