The Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, has restated its commitment to the struggle against what it described as all anti-poor capitalist policies.
The party made the declaration on Friday following police disruption of the protest it embarked upon over the hike in the price of petrol and the increase in electricity tarrif in the country.
During the protest on Thursday which started at Yaba, Lagos, 14 protesters were arrested along with four journalists who were covering the event.
The statement by SPN reads in part: “We remain undaunted and committed to the struggle to resist all anti-poor capitalist policies; however, we demand that the police and other security agencies desist from attacking protests and lawful procession.
“We also condemn attempted infiltration of our party meetings by men of the DSS and warn the agency to desist from spying on activists. We demand the reversal of petrol price to N87 per litre and electricity tariff to N13 kwh.”
The party also spoke about its de-registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“We also demand that INEC should obey the Court of Appeal judgement which declares void its undemocratic and unlawful deregistration of the SPN and other political parties.
“We reiterate our earlier call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilize for a 48-hour warning general strike as part of sustained mass actions to resist the hike in electricity tariff, increase in petrol price and other neo-liberal policies.”
SPN thanked those who intervened before the eventual release of those arrested by the police.
“Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) commends the intervention of the media, Barrister Tesleem Adewuyi and Barrister Chijioke Ugwuonka and the Citi Point Chambers, Barrister Adeshina Ogunlana, Falana & Falana Chambers, Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR), Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Coalition of United Political Parties, Joint Action Front (JAF), Committee for a Workers International (CWI), Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Movement for Socialist Alternative (MSA), National Conscience Party (NCP) etc., that eventually pressured the Police and government to back down.”
