HOW TO DEVELOP NIGERIA:

THE TASKS OF THE PEOPLE'S REVOLUTION

IN NIGERIA
THE SOCIALIST - PARTY OF WORKERS, FARMERS AND YOUTH
THE PROGRAMME OF STRUGGLE
CONTENTS
Preface
I Introduction: The People's Revolution- the Programme for Political Revolution
1. The Establishment of the People's Democratic State
2. Deepening and Extension of Democracy
3. The Struggle for a new Federalism: solving the national question
4. The Struggle for independent foreign policy
5. We must abolish bourgeois politics and its election processes
III The Programme for Economic Revolution
i.
Democratisation and Reorganisation of the Economy
ii.
Abolition of oppressive Economic Conditions
iii.
Structural Economic Transformation
IV Programme for Cultural Revolution
V The General Gains of the People from the Programme of our Party
VI A call to the Nigerian People for revolutionary action
PREFACE
We launched our Party to consolidate the position of the: revolutionary forces against all forms of bourgeois reformism.
directed to preserve capitalism in 'Nigeria.
In 1968 the military regime came in and arrested the revolts of the masses against neocolonial conservatism. During 1960 to
1966 opportunist leadership did not permit the revolutionary political Party to play a leading role in the struggle of the
masses. And so-the forces of bourgeois reformism led by United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) took advantage of the
situation.
The outcome of that struggle during 1960 to 1966 demonstrated clearly that the forces of bourgeois reformism could not be
relied on to provide the correct ideological and tactical mode of struggle that would successfully overthrow neocolonial
conservative capitalism. UPGA was itself part of the bourgeois movement. Though it supported democratic demands, but it
was not anti-imperialist and had no place for the masses in the system of government that it was fighting to install. And so
the military intervention was the only way out.
The revolutionary movement during the 13 years of military dictatorship tried hard to steer the Nigerian people along the
revolutionary path of development. It stood for the consolidation of the Nigerian state in face of bourgeois divisive tribalist
wars. It persistently called for anti-imperialist mobilisation of the people, and called for measures to be implemented ,to
liberate the masses from the control of the bourgeois tribal leaders. But the military dictatorship was not prepared to take
side with the revolutionary movement. All the military regimes became tools in the hands of petty-bourgeois reformist
movement and so could not resolve the crises of our society in the interest of the masses.

It became necessary for the masses led by revolutionary students, workers and patriotic intelligentsia to engage in series of
actions which made the military presence in-Nigeria untenable. In particular, from the end of civil war in 1970 to 1979,
there were-cries of student demonstrations and workers strikes against the repressive dictatorship of the military regimes. In
these actions, students and workers were shot down by organised armed forces of the state, many were maimed for life and
many more were thrown arbitrarily into detention.
ln the end the military dictatorship was forced to go in 1983. The emergence of our Party, The Socialist Party of Workers,
Farmers and Youth was therefore a culmination of these revolutionary struggles to 'set our people free from this
dictatorship. It had to emerge as the new organised rallying vanguard for the continuation of our struggle for the full
emancipation of the people from all exploiting systems under rule. The revolutionary programmes enjoin on our Party the
duty of taking the lead in the struggle against feudal autocratic systems, against imperialism, against capitalism in Nigeria.
The task of transition from capitalism to socialism, which is the central content of the people's revolution calls on our Party
provide the tactical and strategic leadership for the working classes from stage to stage, It demands that we carry through to
the end the revolution without any interruption. Our Party must come out at all times to mobilise the Nigerian people behind
our programmes in opposition to the bourgeois programmes of the capitalist parties. The Party has to put before the people
at all times the alternative revolutionary path of development which our programmes call for.
The programmes as contained in this document cannot be implemented by the parties of the exploiters. They may try to
steal from them in order to deceive the people and to win some electoral victory. But we know that it is never in their
interests to allow the people to be free; and so when they are in power they would only pervert and prevent the people's
revolution.
The Nigerian people, workers, farmers and youth, patriotic and progressive intellectuals must know that it is today they
alone, and only they, who can implement our programmes under the leadership of our Party, The Socialist Party of Workers,
Farmers and Youth. We present this document to all Nigerians as their main guidelines in their daily struggles for the total
liberation of our people from all exploiting and oppressive systems.
Comrade Ola-Oni
Secretary-General,
The Socialist Party of Workers, Farmers and Youth

I INTRODUCTION THE PEOPLE'S REVOLUTION

INTRODUTION THE PEOPLES REVOLUTION
The immediate programme of our party for Nigeria is guided by the general objective of building a proletarian socialist
society in Nigeria, according to the theory and practice of Scientific Socialism. This is the main distinguishing feature of the
programme of our party. The programme is addressed to the present stage of Nigerian capitalist development. It
concentrates on, the task of stopping the development of Nigeria along the neo-colonial capitalist path, and to direct her
development along the proletarian socialist road.
This is the specific goal of the programme of our party. This programme considers the task of development facing the
Nigerian people as a revolutionary one and not that of patching up the (capitalist system by reforms to rebuild society. It
calls on the-people to embark on, rearranging our society so that the major obstacles in the way, of social progress in
Nigeria can be removed. Just as it became imperative for the Nigerian people-to overthrow the colonial system so that the
society can be directed for the benefit of the majority so also today after the so-called flag independence it has become
necessary that the people must once again remove the present neo-colonial capitalist exploiting system so that conditions
can be created for rapid socialist transformation. It is the task facing us. That is the struggle for the People's Revolution.
The two distinguishing elements of this revolution must be recognised. The first is that we put a stop to the growth of neocolonial capitalism. The second is that we at the same time cream 'the conditions for the growth of socialism which is to
replace it'. These two elements of the people's democratic revolution are interwoven and require that we not only have to
complete the struggle for the national independence by putting an end to the imperialist domination and exploitation of the
country; we .have to consolidate the unity of the nation; we have to introduce the social mode of production in the strategic
areas of the economy and we have to establish control of the political power by the broad masses of the working people for
the construction of socialism. These are the main dimensions of the people's evolution which our programme sets out to
accomptish in order to open the gate for a better life for every Nigerian!
In the subsequent sections the details of the programme are spelt out in three parts. These are the:
(1) Political Programme
(2) Economic Programme
(3) Cultural Programme
THE TASKS OF THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA
Our Party requires the Nigerian people under the leadership of the working class to abolish all forms of bourgepis
dictatorship in, Nigeria.. This task calls for the replac ent of feudal and bourgeois political superstructure by an Ontirely new
political arrangement based, on the princi-:A Ole of proletarian socialist democracy.
Our Party therefore must mobilise the Nigerian people ft:r the establishment of a political ()system in which the working
masses shall control and use the political and cultural superstructure for liberating themselves from all forms of ex-ploiting
social systems in Nigeria. We are going, once and for all, to terminate the capitalist political system under which the
exploiters of our society have imprisoned the Nigerian people. We are once and for all establishing a political system in
which producers and not parasitic exploiters shall control and participate in the administration of Nigeria. It is a major
stepin-the realization of the people's democratic freedom. What then are the changes that we must struggle for in our
political life if we are to bring about this new political system.
These are:
1. The establishment of the People's Democratic State under the leadership of the working class
2. Deepening and Extension of Democracy
3. The struggle for a new Federalism based on socialist relations
4. The struggle for independent foreign policy
dividualistic and capitalistic cultural orientation of the people and inculcate collective socialist values. The People's
Democratic Stafe shall set out to promote the revolutionary transformation in political, economic and cultural life of the
nation so as to make the masses the master of their own destiny.
. (c) m ReorgasatIon pf the Public Seitrice and Agthe slate institutions It tollows that the first task of the people, when in
power is to reorganise and reoi;ientate the Public Service for the realisa-tion of the people-sLreVolUtion. There shall be
People's Com-mittees to direct the activities of State Institutions. These Committees shall be composed such that a majority
of the total membership of each Committee shall be made up of democratically elected representatives of mass

organisations and/or of those of the Workers' Unions in the institutions concerned. The Public Service shall be emancipated
from neo-colonial bureaucratic mode of operation_ The Public Ser-vice shall become the instrument for mass mobilisation
to end imperialist oppression in Nigeria and for raising of productive power of the nation as a whole.
(di E.Stahlf.1hment
0
The Pe ople - Power
Capturing the State is not, enough. The People's Democratic Revolution recibires that the entire political administration and
management of the society should be under the direct control of the broad, masses according to the socialist democratic
principles. The capitalist system excludes the masses from crucial areas .of policy making, but the socialist mode of administration requires that the democratically elected representatives of workers, peasants farmers, youths, pro-gressive
professionals etc. shall participate directly in all organs or institutions concerned with the making and im-plementation o+
policies. The people's legislative assembly at
7

national, State and Local Level shall be dominated by the representatives of the working people. They shall overhaul the
lows of the country to 'suit the aspirations ofthe common peolPe for a just society.,
, 2. DEPENINOF DEMOCRACY AND THE FIGHT AGAINST FASCISM A second major political task of our party is
to mobilise the people against the effort of reactionary interests to impose fascist repression on the masses. We have the duty
to keep the people vigilant against any erosion of democracy in Nigeria. We have to intesify the struggle for democratisation
of the Nigerian society so that the every one can live in an at-mosphere of democratic freedom.The fight against fascism
requires three farms of struggle: (0 The struggle against the political repression of the masses. The struggle for People's
judicial system. (iii) The struggle for basic Democracy Human Rights for the masses.
(i) The struggles Against political repression
Under the bourgeois neocolonial state system, the exploiters of the people employ the police, and the army to maintain their
repressive dictatorship over the masses. The People's Democractic Revolution sets as its objective to terminate the situation
in which these coercive forces are instrument for mass repression. TM police and the army shall be liberated from the
control of the imperialist capitalist exploiters. We have to create the condition whereby these armed forces shall regard
themselves as the defenders of the people's in-terests and not those of the exploiters.
8
4
The aim is to transform the forces into the people's defence and.security forces The division between civilian and military
aspects of our life shall be terminated. The people shall participate in military functions just a the military musk be
involved in civil actiqities. Citizens shall be made to undergo compulsory Na-tion01 Military Training so that they can serve
as reserves for the military and civil defence of the country at all times. The defence'and securitf oPthe nation shall be the
responsibility of every citizen. In order to transform the character of the Police and Armed Forces, we must constantly
demand that these forces be reoriented towards the imperatives of the People's Democratic Revolution. The programme to
re-construct the Forces must decolonise them and imbue them with revolutionary awareness to create a new order for the
masses. The members of these forces must be made to understand that it is their duty to liberate the masses from im-perialist
capitalist exploiters and to defend as well as advance democratic freedom. One of the key measures to be taken by the State
of People's Socialist Democracy is the establish-ment of People's Commissions for the Police, Armed Forces, and Prisons.
These Commissions shall be the organs for the reorganisation and reorientation of these institutions accor-ding to the
dictates of the People's Democratic Revolution. To ensure that these coercive institutions are brought under the control of
the Nigerian masses and not under the ex-clusive control of representatives of the exploiters, these Commissions shall be
composed such that a majority of the total membership shall be elected democratically from mass organisations. Our party
does not believe in demobilisation of the army which shall throw the the ordinary soldier into the camp of the unemployed.
The socialist government exists to ensure jobs and security of living to everybody. It is the responsibility of the".socialist
government to take care of every soldier fighting to defend the people's freedom.
9
(ii) The struggle for a people's judicial siwtem Under capitalism, the judicial system is part of the machinery monopolised
by the bourgeois class for maintain-ing their oppressive dictatorship over the masses. The judges admiflister justice
accorctinb to capitalist jurisprudence. They exist l!to ensure that everybody conform to the requirements of btiurgeols law
which seeks to preserve and defend the prevailing capitalist power relation. Therefore, the People's Democratic Revolution_
ties the task of ending this monopolisation of judicial power by capitalist exploiters. It is our duty to call for
domocratisation of the judicial system. Our piny shall transform the system into a People's judicial system. The people shall

be made to decide who should be their judges through periodic democratic elections of qualified applicants. The
administration 'of justice must be guided by the values of socialist humanism. The judicial pro-cesses shall be
debourgeoisified and decolonised. They shall be made simple and easily comprehensible to the ordinary man through use of
local languages. The judges shall be expected to be sensitive at all times to the revolutionary aspirations of the working
people for total freedom from political oppression of the exploiting classes. There shall be a People's Judicial Commission
dominated by the rep;esen-tative of the masses, charged with the revolutionary duty of carrying out the above measures.
(iii) The struggle-for the democratic rights of the working people
In a bourgeois society it is in the interests of the capitalist class to ensure that the masses do not enjoy democratic freedom
_which shall hinder the process of capitalist exploitation and expansion of private property. In
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the People's Socialist Democracy, the masses shall be made to acquire sufficient political and economic power so that they
can fight effectively against all attempts by the bourgeoisie Ito destroy democracy in Nigeria. The dem&ratisation of the
control of armed weapons the police and the army ois a necessary conditiyn for the preservation of M . Man rights1,4 The
struggle for people's judicial system is ,alsb ?bother important measure which shall preserve and de-. fencrctiamocritic
freedom in Nigeria. But quite apart from the above measures, our party has the duty to constantly mobilise the masses:
the
(i) to oppose any law passed by the government of exploiters, under the pretext of emergency or so-called law and order, to
en-danger the democratic freedom of the Nigerian people.
(ii) to fight against any restric-tions on or prohibition of the rights of the workers to form trade Unions and to strike against
ex-ploitation and oppression. (iii) to fight for the freedom of people from arbitrary police arrests, detention and all forms of
inhuman treatments. (iv) to fight for the right of the mass organisations to demonstrate and hold pro-cessions without
previous police permit in their struggle against exploitation, political oppression, corruption and all forms of social injustice.
(v) to fight against any at-tempt to restrict freedom of the press. Our party shall establish Press Freedom Commission under
the control of representatives of the mass organisations, and the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist journalists and editors. It
shall be the du-ty of the Press Commission to see that the orientation of the mass medial seeks to advance the struggles
11

ft
- -- 01 the Nigerian masses against imperialist and 16C'tapitalist oppressions. (vi) to fight for the socialisation art-- of all
mass media. whose management shall by under the control of represgbtatives-of the mass organisations and progressive
anti-imperialist and rfariti-capitalist journalists and editors. Private capitalist ownership of the mass media shall be This is
necessary to prevent a OrMonoriolisation of mass media by the few rich capitalist interests. (vii) to defend academic and intellectual freedom for all University lecturers and aU who are engaged in the teaching profession, by ensuring that they are
not subordinated to bourgeois bureaucractic restrictions. srtifo lenispi skliz
to mobil 91-1! brae noitn-.41.9b :+0 9fit i1pi c -01a Nor} bfle. 9IS-11.:11(.10-15t", ri! 'ngrir fli timi9d eoi;og jrj tenifips anr,c4f -!i.3 \we; Izni6gs yip' 11-irrj if117;L.,,-...:''; 11-4nu r101.1!2rriftIOD .LU i./1,16:12 541 tOrit oa w D eVoltstre
t4n6vbs 01 Zit11..)?, tt,irmri)

ft
- -- 01 the Nigerian masses against imperialist and 16C'tapitalist oppressions. (vi) to fight for the socialisation art-- of all
mass media. whose management shall by under the control of represgbtatives-of the mass organisations and progressive
anti-imperialist and rfariti-capitalist journalists and editors. Private capitalist ownership of the mass media shall be This is
necessary to prevent a OrMonoriolisation of mass media by the few rich capitalist interests. (vii) to defend academic and intellectual freedom for all University lecturers and aU who are engaged in the teaching profession, by ensuring that they are
not subordinated to bourgeois bureaucractic restrictions. srtifo lenispi skliz
to mobil 91-1! brae noitn-.41.9b :+0 9fit i1pi c -01a Nor} bfle. 9IS-11.:11(.10-15t", ri! 'ngrir fli timi9d eoi;og jrj tenifips anr,c4f -!i.3 \we; Izni6gs yip' 11-irrj if117;L.,,-...:''; 11-4nu r101.1!2rriftIOD .LU i./1,16:12 541 tOrit oa w D eVoltstre
t4n6vbs 01 Zit11..)?, tt,irmri)
3THE STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL UNITY THROUGH SOCIALIST FEDFRALISIVI: SOLVING THE NATIONAL

QUESTION
, We have witnessed how the capitalist leaders, through their selfish private accumulation of property have set the Nigerian
masse0 against themselves by fanning ethnic and eultural-dif-I ..ferenc s. The capitaliSt rulers in our country are not in-.,
:terest d genuinely in the unity of the people as such, but in ---- the division .of national resources and all posts among
themselves. The strug4te for national unity must therefore be directed to ending capitalist orientation. Our party therefore
seeks to replace the present capitalist federalism with a new Federalism based on socialist democratic principles. It is " the
socialist federalism that can put an end to competitive - bourgeois ethnic politics. Within this federalism creation of more
states shall be employed to ensure equal democratic in-volvement of various nationalities in the control of political and
economic power, to give full expression to cultural heritage .of every nationality and to eliminate the basis of domination of
one communal group by another. Whereas under the capitalist federalism, creation of more states degenerates into
competitive ethnic rivalry which weakens national unity rather than strengthen it. The bourgeous ruling classes deliberately
fan tribal dis-unity in order to prevent the unity of struggle among the masses against them. Under the socialist federal
structure there shall not be any struggle among various ethnic groups to share the Federal Revenue. This is because the
wealth and the means of production belong to all. The socialist principle of development and sharing of the result of social
product ensures equal amenities and opportunities for all communities. Every Nigerian shall be free to move, live, and work
in any part of the country accor-ding to the national socialist planning. Every Nigerian shall be free to own personal
property in any part of the country he works or lives. Through socialist planning, the people are able to plan the entire
society so that there is no uneven rate of
i3
development among all communities. It is only through socialist federalism that the effort of the Nigerian People can be
mobilised as a united force to transform the country for equal benefits of all. Nation0 unity which eludes the reformist
bourgeoisie shall be ach?eved by our party through socialist economic arrangement.
Creation of States
One of the problems that has consistently baffled the bourgeois political regimes is the persistent agitation for the creation
of more states. For a long time the bourgeois class were' unwilling to create more states. They were also unwill-ing and
unable to carry out economic programmes that will remove the causes of these agitations.
Separatist regionalism was one of the major means by which the dominant upper classes of the big ethnic com-munities
imposed their dictatorhipover the Nigerian people. This regionalism was also one of the major instruments for stabilising
neocolonialism in Nigeria. In those circumstances, therefore, the agitation for more states can be considered as part of the
progressive democratic struggle. It was the legacy of such struggles (Tiv, Rivers, Mid-West, etc.) that made possible the
creation of twelve states in 1967 and which became 19 states ip 1976. But for the manipulations of the new states by the
opportunist bourgeois class, the struggle for the creation of states carried the implication of undermin-ing the hegemony of
neocolonialism in Nigeria. The working people of Nigeria are not by nature ethnic chauvinists! It is the bourgeois class that
deforms the agitations for state crea-tion and see in them an opportunity for making selfish political gains by proselytising
cultural chauvinism and divisive ethnic politics.
14

In:contrast to the bourgeois class, the attitude of Our Par-ty-to the Creation of states has consistently been how to eradicate
thedcauses of these Agitation for states it iis I! cauSe'd by the exploitative economic relations among com-munities and
classes. Hence:the approach of our Party to the question of state creation mut.always be governed by the principle of
advancing the democratic involvement of the masses in the control of state and economic power. The neglect of this
principle and the corresponding unwill-ingness oflthe bourgeois class to initiate a socialist mode of economic relations,
means that they can never abolish the causes of state agitations. This is why the approach of the bourgeois ruling class tothe
problem'of state creation has not curbed competitive ethnic politics in Nigeria. Each of the new .states created by the
Federal Military Government has a new breeding ground for divisive ethnic politics. This demonstrates forcibly that the
politics of unity cannot be achieved simply by a mechanistic decreeing of new states. If the creation of more states is to lead
to the politics of unity, the process of state-creation must be accompanied by economic programmes that aim at eradicating
exploitation and economic inequalities among communities and classes.
carried the implicatiori of undermining the hegemony of neocolonialism in Nigeria.
agitations. This is why the approach of the bourgeois govern-ments to the problems tc6tlae state creations has not curbed
competitive
Democratic Local Government
Rural areas shall be reorganised to promote the united ef15

forts of the people and give the people decisive participation in the political and economic transformation of their areas. T9e
disorganisation of community life which started with 1...;.T colonialism has been continued under the .emergence of the
indigenous bourgeoisie. What we have witnessed is the in-creasing diminution 5f:-the productive and economic power of
people in rural areas as a result of economic exploitation and political domination by the rising capitalist class.
The financial weaknesses of the local governments and the depression in the rural economy are the outcome of the exploitative activities of these new masters. In order to control the chiefs and secure, by manipulation, the political support of
the peasantry, the bourgeoisie subordinated the chiefs and plunged the people into chieftaincy feuds. The appointment of
chiefs was often manipulated, for political gain and extor-tion of money from contending candidates.
In many areas the local bureaucratic administrators, who are themselves agents of state governments, have become the
immediate exploiters of the people. Local administration has become a means of fraudulent personal enrichment. Therefore,
democratic local government reorganisation should not merely aim at changing the administrative struc-tures. More
fundamentally, it must arrest the emergence of rural exploiting groups and eradicate bureaucratic domination of the people.
Towards this end, we advocate the following:
(a) exclusion trf traditional rulers from local politics so as to preserve their dignity;
(b) election of the people's local assemblies which shall be made up of representative of the working peo-ple in the area
16

(c) Creation of Local Customary Courts known as People's Courts. The Presidentspf the People's Courts et shall be electecl
13y the people; k. ,
:t0)Placlhg the Local Administration under the control and direction of People's Local Committees whose members are
ilecied from local assemblies;
(e)Introduction of cooperative production into the rural areas so as to compensate for any inadequacy of funds and
'preserver communal efforts of the afritan village tradition that is now seriously threatened by the spread of competitive
individualism - the alienating concomitant of capitalist way of life
These democratic reorganisations shall return the people in rural areas to a position of self reliance and communal har-mony
which is the sound foundation on which the integration of the nation can rest

17
.r,J2 b qz!.. erif yievitots elorn t)rts bsolds atnebure y9rit rioiriw of ?noit

I.
4* . ...FORFIGN POLICY OF NIGERIA The Pecople's Democratic Revolution requires a transfroma-tion in the character
of our foreign policy from its present confused neutrality to one ictated by the necessity to liberate Nigeria from imperialist
capitalist system. The state Aerialist powers. Nigeria shall conduct her foreign economic refatons in such a way that will:
(a) strengthen the economic struggle by the op-pressed nations against imperialist economic domination.
(b) enhance our domestic people's democratic policy; as well as promoting
(c) our programme for cultral reorientation of the people according to socialist values.
Nigeria's role in world organisation such as the U.N.O. shall be to advance the anti-imperialist struggle of the peoples of the
exploited World and to support all forces struggling for peace and socialist democracy. Nigeria shall promote and support at
home and abroad revolutionary organisations that are anti-imperialist, and which struggle for the liberation of all op-pressed
masses in any part of the world particularly in Aq,ia, South America, Middle East and Africa. Nigeria pan-African Policy
shall aim at mobilising the African people for African revolution and supportinAlrican revolutionary governments in
advancing the struggle for socialism in any part of Africa. Nigerian foreign embassies shall be reorganised to make them
more actively involved in the welfare and progress of our students abroad and tG protect them from inhuman degrada-tions
to which they are often exposed by racist bigots.

(5) WE MUST ABOLISH BOURGEOIS .POLITICS AND ITS ELECTION PROCESSES

Under he bourgeois constitution and its politicalarrange-: rilent, qi-dy the minority privileged well-to-do individuals can
ih elections and hold political offices. The workers, farmers, petty students and all who honestly labour are excfrlded.For

bourgeois politics is for the exercise of the dictatorship of the capitalist exploiters over the working people. Electoral laws
are made to ensure that . only the few capitalist exploiters and prosperous professional individuals control state power
.Impossible requirements are imposed to exclude the ordinary working people from par-ticipation in the exercise of political
power. The Socialist Party of Workers, Farmer Er Youth shall mobilise the people to bring about an end to the present pattern of politics based on property & tribalism. We shall set up the socialist political processes in its place. Elections shall
take place peacefully in the places of work for the the masses to elect among themselves their leaders. Under the
proletarian socialist system we are establishing, political leadership of the peole shall be based on those hav-ing quality of
leadership in production and are imbued with patriotic socialist consciousness. Political campaigns involv-ing bribing of
people with money and feeding them with rosy lies shall have no place in our socialist political processes. Elections shall
be-the means for the ordinary working people to exercise state power and regulate their economic and cultural life for the
full fulfilment of their freedom and poten-tialities.

'or .,
THE PROGRAMME FOR ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA

THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR ECONOMIC STRUGGLE

The objective of our Party's economic programme is to undqttake a revalutioneiy ireorganisatioR, of The national economy
so- as to bring about a decisive acid major transformation in the living and working conditions of all Nigerians. Capitalism
has kept our country in -",,_poVerty and under-development. The overwhelming majority of our people live in a state of
economic worries, hard-ships and insecurities as to problems of feeding, housing, education, old age, medical care and
employment. It is the capitalist mode of develop-ment that lies at the root of all these, generates and reproduces these
economic problems. We have seen that no amount of capitalist welfarist (i.e. reformist) benefits injected into capitalism can
liberate the people from capitalist economic __ problems. In most cases capitalist welfarisrn or reformism not only brings
about acute inflation (which immediately absorbs the so-called benefits and worsens the real conditions of the people) and
economic stagnation but also intensifies under-development and foreign exploitation of our peo-ple. Our party is convinced
that what our country needs is not just welfarist ameliorative reforms for capitalism but a revolutionary socialist programme
that sets as its objective the total abolition of economic worries, insecurities, poverty and under-development which
capitalism generates. We have to go to the root of things. It is only by socialist economic plowing that we can totally
eradicate unemployment. It is proletarian socialism that can guarantee jobs for everybody. It is only through the working
people's mode of
21

It planning that we can solve the 'basic ebonornic problems of our people. It is through this, we can fi bring about
revolutionary technological and in-dustrial transformation of the country within the shortest posible time. The
distinguishing feature of our programme is that we can effect a revolu-tion in the living and working conditions of the
masses, while at the same time promote rapid and even economic development.
Economic Measures:
The economic programme of our party covers the following measures: PART I. DEMOCRATISATION AND
REORGANISATION OF OUR ECONOMY
PART II ABOLITION OF OP-PRESSIVE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
PART-- Ill STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC
TRANSFORMATION
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PART I
.DEMKRATISATION AND REORGANISATION OF THE ECONOMY
We haI to democratise and 'reorganise our economy so as to: (i) transfer economic power to the masses (10 plan the

economy effectively for the full utilisation of productive resources for the benefit of the people
create the conditions and power for the people to assume the management and direction of the economy (1) THE
TRANSFER OF ECONOMIC POWER TO THE PEOPLE A socialist economy shall be established based on the com-mon
ownership of the major means of production. This is a necessary step to be taken to transfer economic power from the
minority capitalist exploiters to the Nigerian people as a whole. Foreign enterprises, the big strategic monopoly enter-prises,
all financial institutions, foreign trade, shipping and mines shall also be taken over by the people
23

.:All srr-},rp and meciLin term- bUsinesses shall be liberated from "A.:the domination of the big companies which
monopolise com-modities and markets; - The cooperative mode of organisations shall be utilised to assist the acitivities of
al; ?etty traders, petty artisans, the small and medium bussinesses and peasant farming which shall operate independent of
the'state socialist sector.
THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW MODE OF ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
For the masses to play a leading role in the direction, manage-ment and implementation of development programmes, mass
organisations of workers, peasant-farmers, Petty traders, youth and professional, bodies shall have the power to manage and
direct the economy according to socialist democratic. principles.
All publicly owr.;ed enterprises shall-be under the manage-ment and control ci:-eprosentative.s; of these mass organisations. This is to_-_-ersuie that the people assume control over the forMulation and execution of the buglgetery plans of all
in-stitutions.
(iii) ESTABLISHMENT OF SOCIALIST PLANNING:
We shall replace capitalist mode of planning which enriches the minority capitalists alone by socialist planning which puts
the welfare and development of the productive power of the people as the guiding primary objective in the allocation of
resources.
All planning institutions at local levels shall be controlled by the representatives of the mass organisations of workers,
peasant farmers, petty-traders, professionals etc. This means
24

'that the broad masses shall decide what-they can produce and how to share what is propluced'. Prices Qnd incomes shall be
decped by the producifig masses themselves. -1
OBJECTIVES OF PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF
RESOURCES
Production, distribution and exchange shall be regulated for social benefits and not for private profit
Resources shall be allocated to bring about a revolution in the living and working conditions of the masses and at ihe same
time expand the productive skill of the masses. Prices and in-comes shall be regulated to achieve the above objective.
Exploitative relation shall be abolished. Sacrifice for develop-ment must be guided by the road to advance social justice and
social quality. No section of the society shall be exploited for the enrich of another sertn. Real incomes must reflect social
justice.
Imperialist economic dom:ne*.ion shall be terminated. Develo-ment shall be directed to promoting rapid technological
revolution and liberate our (!g4)endence on foreign technical skill and equipments. To ensure full employmeri o' all
productive resources and eliminate wastage of humar -yid material resources, either in production or in the circulation of
commodities.
25

PART II
ABOLITION OF OPPRESSIVE ECONOMIC CONDITION it The Nigerian masses operate under oppiiressive economic
conditions created by capitalism. Our first task as aParty is to .t free -the masses from these conditions. This calls for
(i) elimination of economic insecurity. (ii) a revolution in the working and living conditions. (iii) a new housing (iv) rural
and urban planning for social welfare. (v) health and medical care for all. (vi) education for social upliftment.
Elimination of Economic Insecurity: The socialist government's primary duty is to organise the economy so that there shall
be full employment, free medical, care, free education at all levels. Particularly the state must ensure cheap residential

accommodation and comfortable cheap transport system to all. Every citizen at old age must be catered for free by the
government. The objective of the socialist government is -to liberate everybody.from the basic pressing economic worries,
anxieties and uncertainty created by capitalist exploitative system. But these changes will be based on the total abolition of
the capitalist system in Nigeria. Revolution in working conditions: (i) The workers in any office, factory, farm etc. shall
organise the management of these institutions democratical-ly. They shall therefore be involved in production plans,
budgetry allocation of funds, and determination of incomes and prices.
(ii) Incomes policy shall be based on ensuring a de-cent living for everyone. The only criterion for differences in pay will be
the workers' productive effort. But the present largely irrational wide gap in pay and privileges existing bet26
ween "junior" an-:!-"senior" workers shall be radically bridg-ed. To promote socialist justice, there shall no longer be any
workers on the daily paid system. Present Udoji system shall 7be replaced by a system which ensures that any worker in any
'occupation can reach the highest pay that can be earned in any other occupation. No more terminal income stagnation in
any prlfession. Dignified respect shall be given to all physical - ,labourtand be adequately remunerated. .t (iii) There shall be
social security like old age pension which shall be availableTo every one, workers, peasants, pet-ty artisans, small traders
etc. Accident at work, sickness, old age and death shall be covered under the state social securi-ty. No more shall any family
suffer because of the sudden 'death of a bread winner.
iv) There shall no longer be segregation among staff in the use of facilities, toilet, canteen etc. in the place of work.
v) There shall be on-the-job training facilities made compulsory so that a worker can improve his skill and advance his
promotion.
(vi) There must be state subsidised canteen and medical facilities close to any place of work.
Housing policy: The objective is to end rent-exploitation and to guarantee to every family the riglft to a decent home.
Provision of residen--tial building shall no longer be done by private land-lords. In the urban and industrial areas (where a
large majority of residential houses are presently owned by private landlords) the state shall become the sole landlord. These
houses shall be allocated to the people according to their real needs; and they shall pay minimal rents commensurate with
their earn-ings. Massive and accelerated housing projects for the work27
ing people, shall be inaugurated. In addition, and elsewhere in the country, families shall organise cooperative societies
through' which they can secure cheap credit to build private houses (either for a group of fail-lilies. or individual families)
of own In no way must repayment on mortgages be higher than 10%of any family total income. Sale of housing material slt
t be under the cdntrol of the state and alloCated at cheap prices to People's Coopdrative Housing Societies for their'
members to build ,houses for themselves. All existing mor-tgages shall be reviewed to remove their exploitative burden.
Socialism allows the right to personal property for comfort of every citizen.
MN.
28

Rural/Urban Planning for Social Welfare:

(i) Deplorable living conditions of the masses in ryi-Si7and urbanl!areas shall be brought-to an end as a matter-a p`riorit AI!
slims shall be cleared With urgency.
(ii) Physical constructions shall be regulated to ensure maximum welfare and comfort for the citizens. WO The disparity
which exists in the provision of social amenities; water, light, transport, medical facilities etc. betweeen urban and rural
shall end.
(iv) Residential houses and working establishments shall have very close to them basic social amenities, such as medical,
education, shopping fascilities so that the present traffic congestion and jam shall be a thinc of the past. People do-not have
to travel far away to get their needs.
(v) Cheap public transport to all citizens shall be in-troduced in both rural and urban areas;
(vi) Recreational and sporting fee.' es shall be provid-ed for all residential areas.
Health and medical care ft.ir all: The policy on health and medical care of our party has these objectives: (i) To ensure that
people do not have to go far from where they work or reside before securing medical treatment, hospitals, clinics maternity.
centres etc. shall be evenly distributed among the people. The r t--,,glect of the rural masses which exists at present shall
sto7_:.
(ii) Socialist govenment must make provision of medical care free to every citizens. The state shall finance health ser-

29

vices. All fees in all medical centres shall be abolished. Provision of health and medical services shall be the direct
responsibility of state.
it(iv) Preventive health shall be giv'en mote emphasis. The state shall provide free-preventive health facilities for envircrimental sanitation, rural health centre, waste disposal; maternity wards etc,within every reach of the people. There shall
be urgent pro4rarnmes fdr training para-medical and medical personnel to eliminate existing over-work of doctors and
nurses. Training shall aim at raising efficiency and enhance humanistic commitment of all medical workers.
(v) There shall be people's Health Committees in all local areas composed of representatives of organisations of nurses,
health workers and trade unions and organisations of farmers. The task of the committees is to administer all health
institutions in their area and mobilise the people for effective public hygiene. It must ensure that the people's health programme is followed and high standard of social cleanliness is maintained in their areas.
Socialist government shall set out to wipe our major common epidemics such as malaria, dysentry, cholera, small pox,
tuberculosis etc.
Education for social upiiftment of the masses: (i) Socialist educational programme is directed to raise the productive power
of the masses, to raise their revolu-tionary consciousness and to eliminate social inequiality aris-ing from lack of
educational opportunities to the masses.
(ii) The provision of education shall be the sole respon-sibility of the state in cooperation with the communities.
30

1
(iii) EduCation shall be free at all levels to every citizen. This include free tuition, free feeding, free accommodation, free
text books and other facilities.Socialist free educational programme is entirely different from the bourgeois free education
programline of the present ruling class. The ruling class is :using freeeducation for vote catching. Ours is to transforinAle
life 6f the masses.
(iv) There shall be a crash programme to expand the number of educational institutions:-Community effort shIll be utilised
to build schools and colleges, to avoid the enrichment of some minority contractors.
(v) - Differences in educational opportunities based on wealth and social status shall be eliminated.
(vi) Mass education designed to wipe out mass illiteracy within the shortest possible time shall be undertaken. This shall
include effort to raise scientific and technical knowledge of the people.
(vii) Our educational system shall seek to promote scien-tific and technological revolution in the country based on the
utilisation of local material.
(viii) Education shall aim at creating a new value and outlook in conformity with socialist revolutional objectives,
ix) Teaching profession shall be reorganised to raise its quality and to arrest the exploitation of teachers. Adequate salaries
must be paid to teachers and academic staff.
(x) The administratiprond management of all educa-tional institutions shall involve the associations of teachers, lecturers,
students, parents, in any area,
31

PART ill STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION The struc$ure of our econom'cr shall be transformed so as
to: (i) 'False our technological industrial power and end `OMM depehdehee on imperialism. (ii) To strengthen th4 cohtrol
and ownership of produc-tive forces by the masses. (iii) To lay a solid foundation of infrastructure;
(iv) To build an integrated independent economy;
(v) To ensure adequate social amenties for the masses.
(a) Development of Basic Socio-Economic Infrastructure
The building of infrastructure, transport, water supply, energy, communication facilities shall be undertaken by the
government-owned construction institutions with emphasis on social needs and priorities given to the living and working
conditions of the masses.
(i) Capitalist contractor system shall be abolished in the construction of all infrastructures.
(ii) There shall be revolutionary reorganisation of all Corporations in charge of provision of all infrastructure and social
amenities. They shall become socialist Corporations which shall manage the provision of infrastructural services according
to socialist planned aspirations. The management of these Corporations shall comform with socialist manage-ment
principles.

iii) The socialist government shall direct as a matter of

32
urgency tfigt all areas in the country are provided with un-interrupted electric and water supply within two years.
(v) ,,The provision of transport }system shall aim at ,'"::*reaching fagrn areas and integrating all rural areas with urban ,
centres. ei
(b) Technological and-. Industrial Pali
Objectives of our industrial policy shall be: (i) To terminate the imperialist economic domination of our industrial
development by socialisation and socialist management.
(ii) Active development of projects for the utilisation of our domestic resources. Industries must have direct _
developmental effect on agriculture.
(iii) Emphasis shall be placed on capital goods and liberate the country from its dependance on imperialist technological
power.
(iv) To promote mass education in order to advance scientific and technical skills of the broad masses. The teaching in all
educational institutions shall emphasise development of scientific and technical skills. Petty artisans shall receive direct
state assistance to raise their technical skills and creative abilities. Science and technology shall become the common
property of the. productive masses.
(v) Serious effort shall be made to conserve and preserve our natural resources and environment now being wastefully
destroyed and polluted.
33

Nil There shall be special material and non-material en-couragement for creative inventions.
Commercial Policy Commerce shall be made to serve the domestic growth of in-dustries and agricature.
(1) Co-operative mode of organisation shall be utilis-ed to promote development of commercial activities.
Petty-traders and market women shall be organised into cooperative associations owning cooperative shops. They shall
therefore be liberated from the domination and ex-ploitation of the big businesses which monopolise com-modities.
(iii) Whole-sale trading shall be socialised and all cooperatives of petty-traders and market-women shall be linked with the
state trading establishments.
(iv) Foreign trade and shipping shall be socialised. (d) Agrarian Policy
Our agrarian policy shall liberate the peasants from foreign and domestic tapitalist exploiters. The development of
agricelture shall be redirected from the path of capitalist destruction to that of people's socialist cooperation.
(i) Land shall be made available freely to all wishing to engage in productive farming, since land shall become a common
property of. the people. (ii)Socialist cooperative movement shall be introduc-ed to replace the capitalist oriented ones
existing at prpsent.
34

Farmers shall utilise cooperatives to overcome their present productive id marketing difficulties.
(iii) Peasant-farmers shall be represented in all organs of economic and political power in the country.
ij (iv) There shall, be People's cooperative Agricultural l!Credict Banks which shall be owned and ran by the farmers
ilcooperatives themselves.
(v) Thy distribution of agricultural output shall be done to, eliminate .parasitic middlemen and ensure non-exploitative price
for agricultural products.
(vi) The present Marketing Boards shall be replaced by the People's Agricultural Marketing Enterprise owned and run by
the peasant themselves.
(vii) The technique of production shall be modernised. The state shall provide tractors, fertilizer, insecticides etc. to the
farmers cooperatives which are expected to manage and direct the allocation of the facilities among themselves.
(e) Policy on the Cooperative Movement
The socialist government shall utilise the Cooperative move-ment to liberate the petty traders, artisans and peasant-farmers
from the destructive and exploitative impact of capitalism and to raise their productive power within the socialist planned
economy. Cooperative movement is essen-tially a socialist mode of organisation. It was conceived to be anti-capitalist, and
an instrument to be used by the masses to fight against all forms of capitalist economic exploitation. But
capitalist.gcwernments have refused to develop cooperatives in this way. They have turned it to be instrument, for pro-

35
!voting individualistic ,Capitalism among the people. The socialist goverTiment in Nigeria shall set out to reorganise the
cooperative movement in Nigeria with a view to:
abolishing poverty among 'the peasant farmers, artisans, petty traders arld market women. promoting socialist mode of
Cooperative manage-ment and operation.
36

4
ly
IV
41.
PROGRAMME FOR CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA

CULTURAL PROGRAMME FOR THE

SOCIALIST TRANSFORMATION OF NIGERIA
CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN NIGERIA
Our party has to launch Nigeria on a cultural revolu-tionary path. We have to transform the bourgeois attitude to life of the
Nigerian people towards a socialist value system. We have to replace ag-gressive selfish individualism by social commitment. We have to replace bourgeois ethnic parochialism by socialist patriotism. The cultural programme of our party sets
out to promote cultural revolution in Nigeria.
Measures for Cultural Revolution:
Education:
The. cultural revolution in our country calls for a reorganisation of the educational system to pro-mote new value system.
There shall be a pro-gramme to eradicate mass illiteracy. The curricula in all educational institutions shall be reorganised to
link theory with social pro0U5tion, heightening revolutionary consciousness, and eliminate
38

bourgeois selfish materialistic attitude to life, and to promote technological revolution among the masses. All educational
institutions shall be state-owned and free to all citizens. We shall promote the use of national languages in all states as a step
towards promoting linguistic unity. The manage-ment of all educational institutions shall be by democratic involvement of
parents, teachers, lec-turers, and students according to the principle of People's Democratic Management. Teaching profession shall be reorganised to eliminating the frustration into which bourgeois policy hasdragged the profession.
Cultural Organisations Our party shall encourage and support associations of creative writers, artistes,
intellectuals,scientists, journalists, musicians etc. it shall be the task of these association to advance the broad of aim of the
cultural revolution. The nation's cultural heritage shall be preserved.
Freedom of Religion
There shall be total religious freedom. No citizen shall be persecuted for believing or not believing in any religious doctrine.
But in no way must any religion be used as instrument to promote the ex-ploitation and oppression of the masses. Religion
shall be regarded as purely private affair of the citizen and not the concern of the state.
Family All discriminatory regulations against women in all aspects of our society shall be aolished. All
39 ,! I

children bow shall enjoy equality before the law. Dtvoitce legislation shad be reviewed to protect the ri6Fits of women and
children. Women shall enjoy equal right as men in marriage.
Sport Physical culture and sports shall be popularised. Sporting activities shall be compulsory in all schools.
General Political Eduation There shall be a conscious programme to change the attitude and orientation of the people to
life, to work and to promote patriotic commitment of the people to the nation and to our revolution.
Ethnic prejudices shall be vigoriously attacked and be replaced by patriotic socialist consciousness.

Awareness of the necessity to struggle for and de-fend the ideal of liberty and social justice and equality shall be inculcated
in every citizen.
40

'V
THE GENERAL GAINS ICW VY,OVS, FROM THE PROGRAMME OF OUR PARTY
V
1
i'HE GENERAL GAINS OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE PROGRAMME OF OUR PARTY What our Pai:ty Programme
sets out to do for the people is to remove those obstacles in their way vvriich prevent them for utilising their produc-tive
energy for their own benefit. Significant among these measures is the liberation of workers, peasants, petty-traders, small
businessmen, petty artisans and youths from the domination and ex-ploitation of big monopoly capitalist exploiters. By this
the broad masses are able to acquire the economic power for determination of their own destiny.
Workers and the New Proletarian Socialist Nigeria:
Workers under socialism shall be in control of power whilst workers under capitalism are slaves of the capitalist exploiters.
(i) Workers through their party shall con-trol pothical power. Representatives of workers shall determine the control and the
mobilisation of police and the army for the defence of peoples democracy. No longer shall the exploiters use police and the
army to repress the workers. Workers shall be member of Police Councils and Army Commis-sions.
42

(ii) Workers management committees shall be in control of enterprises and establishments in which workers work. Workers
therefore participate in production ~glans, budget and decision about in-comes and prces.
(iii) The children of workers shall have the right to free amenities as the children of other citizens.
(iv) Workers families shall be entitled to free medical facilities cheap public transport run accor-ding to proletarian
management principles.
(v) There shall be subsidised meals for workers in workers' canteens which must be pro-vided by every working
establishment.
(vi) The present obnoxious labour law shall be abrogated and the full right of workers to strike and demonstrate for
advancement of people's power and democracy shall be restored. A new industrial law shall be promulgated to protect the
interest of Nigerian workers.
(vii) The state shall take care of the children and wives and other dependent relatives of worker who dies sudden. There
shall be a social insurance scheme to cover this.
(viii)Workers Cooperative Housing movement shall be established to ensure that every family own a house or given a flat.
In no case must rent exceed 10%N.vageof any worker. Rent exploitation shall be abolished. A - (ix) Workers shall have
right to adequate
43

pension and the state has responsibility to cater for the workers in his old age. (x) It is obligatory for the socialist govenemtn
to provide on-the-job training facilities to improve the skill of workers s3 as to enhance their promotipn., (xi) " Workers
have the richt to a job under the socialist full emploment policy. (xii):4\ 'workers is nevery punished by being denied of a
job under socJlism. Socialist govern-ment cannot afford to have any of its citizen remain unemployed at any time.
Farmers and Socialist Nigeria: Under socialism, farmers are set free. They are liberated from the economic and political
domina-tion of the exploiters. ;farmers shall own and manage Agricultural Cooperative ;credit Bank with branches in local
areas. Farmers shall own and manage Farming Supply Stations supplying trac-tors, fertilizer on Cooperative principles. Ail
debts owned by the peasants to money-lenders shall be abolished and no farmer shall pay any rent on and he cultivates.

Farmers shall have representatives in Ministerial Boards managing the Ministries of Agriculture. Farmers shall elect special
members into local assemblies and be involved in the local administration to determine how local funds shall be spent and
used. Farmers association shall elect representatives into local planning boards and so ensure that the money is spent on
projects that give priority 10 common man's needs.
44

Capitalist farming shall be abolished. All farming must be under cooperative mode of organisation. A new land-law shall be
introduced to ensure that the land remains under the control of the peasants and to arrest monopolisation of land by the
capitalists. Families of farmers shall be entitled to free medical services, free education for their children. The farmers'
responsibility to their families when they die shall be taken_olter by the State. The rural life shall be transformed by rural
planning supplied with the same ameniities as are made available to all uban centres.
Youths, Student and the Socialist Society
Youths and students receive the central attention of the socialist government. Education and general training of youths and
students are free at all levels. There shall be free education including not only covering tuition but also, accommodation,
text books and all equipments for educational practice. There shall be cheap public transport to all youths and students. The
socialist government gives full encouragement to all organisation of youths and student unions and their representatives
participate in government of the country. It is obligatory that representatives of students must participate in the management
of their educational institutions. Stu-dent representatives shall participate in the management of the Ministry of Education at
na-tional and State levels. Socialist education and training are designed to liberate the youths from exploitative and
repressive forces which prevent them from developing their full potentialities . There shall be close link between theory and
prac-tice in educationto enable youths develop a balanc45

ed life and realise their creative potentialities. Youths are encouraged . to think revolutionary thought and to combat
reactionary imperialist ideas directed . to promote submissie and selfish Fin-diviclualistic .orientation our youths. Socialist
state ensures that youths have oppixunities to pur-sue any career of their choice, Under socialist full employment policy no
youths shall at any time be in condition of frustrated joblessness without any certainty about theft future career
Commercial Activities, Petty Traders and Market Women:
Petty traders and market women shall own cooperative. shops., The central aim is To free the traders and market women
from the exploitation of the big business, foreign and domestic, controlling and monopolising the distribution of basic
product-s.All administration of market stalls shall be under the market women Association. There shall be cooperative
trading association to which all petty traders shall belong and which shall be linked to National Wholesale Distribution
Cooperative Organisations. The petty traders and market women shall be ensured of their commodities at a price which
ensured for them reasonable return-s.Representatives of petty traders and market women shall also be involved in all
planning bodies deciding what to produce and policies on incomes and _prices.
Nigerian Women and Socialism
In consultation with women and in accordance with socialist principles, women shall be liberated
46

from disabilities and all forms of discriminatory treatment. All factors that stand in the way of social equality are man-made
and shall be abolished,Nc.)thing shall be allowed to frusvatethe humanist upliftment of the status of women in the new
Nigeria. There shall be equal pay for equal work. Women's education shall receive special en-couraaement in view of the
derogation of this aspect of education since the days of colonialism.
Journalist and Socialist Nigeria:
Control of the press by powerful private capitalist interests shall be abolished. Representatives of the people and of the
professional organisation of jour-nalists shall own and manage all mass media. Our journalists shall no longer be bound by
the orders and inhibitions of a backward, conservative socie-ty. Whilst decency, truth, integrity and wisdom must be
emphasised as standards, writers shall be encouraged to do what is dear to all sincere writers of truth: to 'publish and be
damned'. However, it behoves the people's State to take precaution to safeguard the revolutionary gains of the peoples from
subtle sabotage by agents of imperialism and local reaction. Journalists are expected to promote freedom, democracy and
oppose all forms of social injustice.

47

VI
A CALL TO THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE FOR REVOLUTIONARY ACTION

THE REVOLUTION TASKS BEFORE, US:

We must recognise the enemy of progress in Nigeria. These are imperialist forces who control our economy and their
domestic agents who cooperate with them to enslave the broad masses under satellite capitalism. These forces have always
constituted the obstacle in the way of Nigeria's advance towards the people's democracy.
The colonial revolutionary struggle came to nothing because that revolution was led by leaders who were not prepared to
abolish the col-onial system. These leaders merely replaced col-onial rulers and left untouched the imperialist economic
domination of the economic life of the nation. During this struggle, the imperialist through the connivance of the emergent
bourgeois leaders resorted tothe arrest of the people's leaders who wanted the masses to take the road of national liberation
which would have led to the socialist pro-letarian road of development. The young socialist leaders were arrested and
detained arbitrarily even for mere possession of socialist publicans. The repression of the colonial police did not-altow
them to establish a strong socialist party to mobilise the people for full liberation of the people from colonial system.
49

After independence, the bourgeois leaders .realising that the people were entirely op-posed to the satellite neocolonial
capitalist system into which" the nation has-been led, had to deceive tt the 'people that they subscribe to some form of
socialism. Their socialism was qualified by all sorts of adjectives, "Pragmatic", "Feudal", " dertabcratic". Their intention
was to dangle the hcpe of better Nigeria before the people in order to hold the people down and secure their votes. None of
the parties of the exploiters were in fact prepared to establish a socialist society in which the masses shall be in power. This
is because it was the leaders of these parties who run the neo-colonial capitalist system and benefit from it. In practice the
regimes of these parties resorted to all sorts of measures to suppress the agitation of workers_ students and patriots for a
truly independent Nigeria free from imperialist manipulations. After independence the anti-socialist repression has
continued against . patriots and youths who sought to organise the masses for freedom.
.1
The intervention of the military rule in 1966 brought the Nigerian people under a stage of emergency which deprived them
of the basic right of democratic political participation in the direction of lives. The military rule did not aim at leading the
masses towards the path of revolutionary development. It was in the service of the exploiter classes. All military regimes
since 1966 have one objective: this is to reconstitute the satellite neocotonial capitalism so that the dictatorship of the
exploiters can be more stable. Since 1966 the people have been urging on the military rule to take steps to liberate Nigeria
from imperialism and stop
50

the path of capitalist road of development. The military rule refused to barge. Once again the 13 years of military rule has
brought no change to the economic and political positions of the common
The past experiences show that the -st exploiters and their political parties -_-y selfish propertied interest, cannot be .- )41 to
pursue measures which shall bring .ery one. How do we expect that the 7- e exploiters, backed up by heavy f - foreign
monopoly companies and-= weatthy capitalists shall be actively corn-rr -.7 :7. .7 7= struggle for the freedom of the peo-p 7 :
serious measure to abolish imperialist cf Nigeria, to establish conditions for -rational unity and abolish mass pover-ty? IT-:_;i<s.cif developing Nigeria for the benefit of ::rnmon man is not what any of the old po:,-. z arties appearing under new
cover for 1979 eect: -3 shall be in position to carry out. All st oriented parties set out to enrich only. a srr ;roUp among
them. The interests of the corn-rric7 people cannot be regarded as their primary concern. In this regard, we should take the
bitter lesson of the past seriously. The Nigerian people must recognise that it is they who must carry the national
responsibility to develop Nigeria. It is they and not the capitalist exploiters and their parties who can transform the lives of

the people. The Nigerian people must therefore be awake. They must _rise up resolutely and assume their destined historicrole. They must set out to fight for the people's programMe which '1 51
it

our party has put before them. The task of transfor-ming our country, of carrying out The people's democratic
revolution,falls squarely on nobody else except the exploited masses.
The, workers, youths, peasants and all patriotic pro-gressives must stand up to this new revolutionary task confronting us.
Thr Task for Workers:
The workers must always rem.mber that historical-ly they have played a leading role in the fight against colonia:ism.
Through their determined resistance to colonial economic exploitation in the 1940s, the workers created the favourable
condi-tions which forced the colonial exploiters to grant constitutional concessions which paved the way for national
independence. With such a past noble record, the Nigerian workers of today have a duty to keep up to this revolutionary
tradition which those who went before them have set. The workers of today must know that it is their own historic task to
abolish capitalist exploiting system and create conditions for the freedom and prosperity of our great country. Workers bear
directly the ex-ploitative impact of neocolonial capitalism since there ca nnot be scapitewithout the 'worker'. Capitalism
cannot grow in Nigeria if the workers are determined to Oppose it. Workers must therefore lead the broad masses to abolish
it. Workers must take the people's programme as their own and let it serve as a guide in their economic and political struggle
in the country. Pro-gressive workers should know that the reason why the Nigerian workers in recent years have not been
52

able to assume leadership role in the political life of our country is because of the reactionary activities of some opportunist
leaders of the trade unions who preach to the workers to keep away from political struggle. These opportunists chorus the
views of the exploiters that trade unionis has nothing to do with workers struggle for political Workers should be ready to
rid themselves -_-== -eactionary elements who want NAtfirkers to be slaves to their exploiters.
Studenrs, Patriots and the Nigerian revolution:
Youths, students and all Nigerian patriots must never relax. It is well-known that you have always been engaged actively in
various forms of struggle for justice, democracy and freedom in Nigeria. You also, in particular, constituted a powerful
dynamic initiative force behind the revolutionary action against colonialism in the late 19,40s. The record of the young
Zikists cannot be wiped out in the annals of our country's liberation struggles. In the early 1960s, students and all patriotic
forces also staged militant action against the neocolonialist foreign policy of the capitalist governments of the old
politicians. Since the military rule took over, students and patriots have also been the leading fighters against repressive
fascist decrees, corruption and retrogressive educa-tional policy of the military regimes. Our new Party provides all
progressive forces of our country the united front to continue these struggles for pro-gress. Our duty now is to intensify ourpolitical ac-tion according to the demands Of the people's democratic revolution. Students and patriots all over Nigeria
must regard THE SOCIALIST PAR-1
53

TY of the common people as their party. They must work for 4t wherever they are. The party is their main weapon in the
fight for the total libera-tion of our fatherland from imperialism and their domestic agents. The Peasant-Farmers and the
Way forward: The Nigerian peasants must at ac be aware that they are the main creators of the wealth ap-propriated by the
ruling class. For many centuries they have been living under all forms of exploitative and oppressive systems. Time has
come for all a peasant-farmers to rise and thrOw off the chains around them. They must no longer allow the cor-, rupt
politicians to lure them with money into future enslavement. They must know their enemy in -all., elections. They must
never sell their votes. Votes are the main source of their power. Peasant,. farmers must use their votes for their liberation.
The new Party which is to lead the farmers to power has eMerged. All Nigerian peasants must rally round this Party and use
it to assert their freedom from their exploiters. JOURNALISTS, EDITORS, BROADCASTERS-ETC. AND NIGERIAN
REVOLUTION People in the mass-media have a duty to their country. They must join the progressive forces -seeking to
create a new Nigeria where the broad masses shall be free from the exploiters. People of the mass-media have alwayS
played progressive role in our country, They helped to promote the na-tionalist consciousness of Nigeria people in the
struggle against colonialism. The respect the

54

Nigerian people have for the mass-media arise from this revolutionary role. The Press, Radio, T.V. must not serve the enemy
of Nigerian masses. We must not- allow agents of exploiters and imperialists to control these organs.. It is the duty of all
pro-gressive journalists, eetors etc. to wage the strug-gle to see that mass-media fall under the control of people to defend
freedom and social justice in Nigeria.
Form the Local Committees of the Party Now The local committee of the party must not only mobilise the people for the
party but must serve as the local organ fighting against injustice and defen-ding the interest of the common people in the
area. The local committee has the duty to go out to educate the people on the programme of the party particularly about the.
Revolution facing all expoited masses. .
Let Everyone be an Organiser for our Party Every member must turn himself or herseif -to an organiser for the party. We
must all go out to recruit the people to join the local committee or local branch of the party wherever we work or live. Our
party has no money or 'resources as the party of the exploiters. What we have is the truth and the honest commitment of the
supporters. This, we consider is more than all the wealth the parties of the rich shall throw around. If every member of our
party makes the sacrifice of recruiting the people around him or those he comes across our party shall'emerge as the main
liberating hope for people of our country.

REQUIREMENT FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIALIST PARTYOF WORKERS, FARMERS AND YOUTH
ARTICLE ON MEMBERSHIP
APPLICATION
(1) Membership of the party, shall be open to all Nigerians who are not less than 18 years old ir-respective of their piece of
birth, religion, ethnic group, sex or occupation who accept the aims and objectives of the Party, subscribe to the tenets of
Scientific Socialism and are ready to fulfil all obligations of the Party.
(2) Every person intending to become a member of the Party shall apply, on the prescribed form, to the party local
committee or to the National Secretariat. Such application has to be sponsored by two members of the Party,
ADMISSION
(3) Every application shall be processed through the local cell to the State Cen-tral Committee and on to the National
Secretariat. If the National Secretariat considers an applicant eligi-ble for membersip of the Party, he shall be accorded
probational membership.
(4) An eligible member shall undergo a six month probational period during which time he will take ac-tive part in party
work and receive theoretical educa-tion.
(5) A probational member `shall only be accorded full membership of the party on the basis of s4tisfadtory iltreport from hid
local cell, Pand the State Central Corn-qnittee. A member does not become a fulkmpmber until the National gebretariat and
National Central Committee is satisfied that h6 qualifies to be a members.
(6) Associated membership: The Central Committee has the right to give associated member-ship to certain individuals who
can be of assistance to the. Party but who may not be in position to be openly identified with the party's activities. Party
ARTICLE ON DISCIPLINE AND ACTS OF BETRAYAL
The following shall be regarded as acts of indiscipline and betrayal:
(i) Serving as an agent-provocateur to involve the Party in anarchist methods of struggle.
(ii) Serving as spies or as police-informers to betray the struggle of the Party.
(iii) Acting in any way to prevent the effectiveness of the Party among the masses or seeking to obstruct the work of the
Party among the people and reinventing the party from acquiring mass bass.
(iv) Careless and malicious giving away of party secrets.
(v) Organising cliques, sectionalism, and factions to split and destroy the Party.
(vi) Displaying petty-bourgeois ambition for posts and searching for personal publicity to the detriment of the Party.
(vii) Conducting whispering and slanderous campaigns against other comrades in-' stead of open comradely criticisms.
(viii) Using tribal sectionalism to mobilise sup-poet for a line of policy or for canvassing for posts.
(ix) Being carefree and slovenly about Party assignments.
(x) Being careless and wasteful in the use of Party property.
(xi) Giving exaggerating reports about Party situation in any part of the country as to mislead the Party.
(xii) Conducting oneself in public life as to mar 4,fie revolutionary' image of the Party amongst the masses,
(xiii) Indulging in acquisitive accumulation of capital for personal enrichment instead of promoting colleietiVe ownership of
capital for revolutionary work of the Party.
xiv) Failing to pay Party dues and levies without reasonable cause.

(xv) Carelessly revealing to the public any decision taken in any of the Party meetings, or making such decision a - subject
of dispute in the public.
(xvi) Refusing to carry out Party decisions democratically arrived on the excuse that one was not present at the time of the
meeting.
All the various committees of the Party at all levels shall ensure that discipline is maintained in accordance with the
procedure and rules laid down by the National Central Committee.
ARTICLE ON DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
DUTIES:
(1):-The task of organising the Party falls on every member not just on the officers. Make yourself a militant party organiser.
(2) Go out to establish abcanch or group in your place of work, reside-A-ce: in your trade unions or in any mass
organisations of the working people. (31. Educate yourself thoroughly well about the " Ideology, the constitution and the
programme of theparty. Constantly struggle to have a dedp understanding of revolutionary theories and practice of
Marxism-Leninism through regular attendance of party-sponsored educational classes and schools
(4) Go out to spread revolutionary knowledge among the working people in your place of work. or residence. Sell party sponsored publications. Let the people know the revolutionary task before them. Always take a revolutionary position in any
discussion and expose reactionary and pseudo-socialist reformist solutions to the people and urged them to re-ject them.
(5) Set out to organise funds for the party. En-courage members to work freely for the party Know that your party is not a
party of the rich exploiters.
(6) Punctually and regularly attend party meetings
(7) Carry out party assignments unfailingly.
(8) Obey all party rules of discipline adopted by your branch or group.
(9) Pay promptly dues or levy imposed on you by any of the party organ.
(10) Set as your ambition to become a committed disciplined member with a revolutionary will to serve the masses and
advance their struggles according to the programmes of the party.
Application for membership
(1) Read thoroughly the party statement on (i) membership (ii)duties and rights of members, (iii) discipline and acts of
betrayal
(2) Note that not everybody can be a member of our party. Only committed conscious individuals are given full
membership,
(3) Membership of our party calls for sacrifice, the party has no room for anybody looking for some material gain or some
personal advantages.
Apply for introductory forms from: National Secretariat, P.O. Box 4053, Post Office, lbadan.