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For Nigerian Masses, There’s Nothing To Cheer About 66th Independence Anniversary — Baba Aye*

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Comrade Baba Aye, a veteran trade expert and activist, is Co-Convener of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and a Council Member of Progressive International (PI). Baba Aye, former Deputy National Secretary, Labour Party (LP) and former National Convener, United Action for Democracy (UAD), during the June 12 struggle and a member of the National Implementation Committee of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), in this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU , speaks on the 66th Independence anniversary from a socialist point of view. Excerpt: Nigerians are in the Independence anniversary week. Looking at the state of the nation, do you think the 66th Independence anniversary is worth celebrating? The exit of colonial rulers could not have but, been a welcome development in 1960. Even today, we cannot discountenance it as a historic moment, despite reservations we do have about its significance and rightly so. The working masses – workers, peasants, poor women and marginalised youths – who ralli...
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On violence and the Osun elections, ICPC, NASS and fake PFIPC, and AAC's 2027 elections campaign*

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Comrade Baba Aye, a veteran trade unionist and activist, is Co-Convener, Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and a Council Member, Progressive International (PI). Baba Aye, former Deputy National Secretary, Labour Party (LP) and former National Convener, United Action for Democracy (UAD) during the June 12 struggle and Member, National Implementation Committee of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), in this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, he speaks on the Osun political violence, travails of Omoyele Sowore, the current partisanship of the police and the judiciary, among other issues. Excerpt: Are you worried over the level of political violence in Osun State due to the August 15 governorship election in that state? The extent and virulence of the political violence rocking Osun State ahead of the August 15 elections is more than enough to worry any right-thinking person. It is a direct result of the winnertakes-all and do-or-die approach to politics that characterises the Nigerian ruling class...
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Sowore’s Arrest, the Injustice System in Nigeria and the Revolutionary Imperative

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The arrest of Omoyele Sowore on Monday, 22 June underscores the highhandedness of Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who had unjustly revoked Sowore’s bail a week earlier. But it also does more than that; it is yet another demonstration of the draconian nature of the Nigerian state. We are often told that the court is the last hope of the common wo/man. But, like all other apparatus of state, including the military, police, and prisons, it primarily serves the interests of the ruling class and is aimed at repressing any force that stands up against the power of our oppressors. This arrest like the earlier ones, is yet another dastardly attempt to repress Sowore and the revolutionary politics he stands for. And just like the plethora oof earlier arrests. It will not work. Putting the current arrest in perspective For the records this otherwise comical drama of repression needs to be put into proper context. The not-so-secret police in Nigeria otherwise legally...
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AAC and the 2027 Elections

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The 2027 general elections are around the corner. The elections will take place amidst the worst economic distress for working people in recent history. This is compounded by mounting insecurity and social crisis. Nonetheless, politicians have started warming up for campaign. Different sections of the ruling class are coming up as usual with empty promises. But now more than ever, the working masses, the marginalised youth, and oppressed people across the country need an alternative that challenges the systematic rottenness of social, economic, and political life. Issues shaping 2027 A recent poll by Business Day confirmed that, towards the 2027 elections, the topmost concerns of Nigerians are the economy and security. This is not at all surprising. While there has been economic growth since the Bola Tinubu administration of the APC regime came into power in 2023, the lives of poor working-class people have got worse. It is now more difficult for the vast majority of the population to ...
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ADC, PDP, SDP, LP, APGA Not Different from APC – Bàbá Ayé

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With the recent defections across party lines, both in the states and the National Assembly, how do you think such parties like ADC, PDP, SDP, LP and APGA will perform in 2027? One thing that these defections have shown is that there is essentially no difference between these nominally different parties. They all represent the same class of exploiters and oppressors of the people that have made life hell on earth for the poor working people in Nigeria. Thus, not surprisingly, when you look at their ideologies, programmes and perspectives, they are all in favour of making the rich richer whilst paying lip service to the people all in the name of seeking votes from us. For example for PDP, SDP, LP and APGA, you will see that in their 2023 manifesto, they were all for removing the fuel subsidy instead of addressing the corruption in it. And this was just one of the several neoliberal policy positions in those manifestos. As for ADC, it is a repackaged format of mainly former PDP stalwar...
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NASS Crafted Electoral Act To Favour APC — Baba Aye

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What is your take on the controversies over the real-time e-transmission of election results?  The controversies surrounding the transmission of elections say a lot about the nature of electoral politics in Nigeria. You can recall the court rulings in 2023 that the IReV could not be considered as the coalition centre. And electronic transmission of election results was deemed to be at the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). We all know who benefited most from the non-electronic transmission of results in 2023 and also stands to benefit by not enabling the transmission as a compulsory element of the 2026 Electoral Act. It is the ruling party. So, not surprisingly, opposition parties from the same ruling class of bosses joined the chorus of calls to make e-transmission compulsory. But, their point of departure is not the same as that of civil society organisations and the only party which represents a revolutionary alternative in the country is the A...
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