Communiqué of the 2nd National Convention of Labour Party, held on Saturday December 12, 2009, at the Labour House Main Auditorium, Abuja

Introduction 

The Labour Party, LP, Nigeria’s fastest growing and ideologically rooted party, held its 2nd regular National Convention on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at the main auditorium of the Labour House in the Central Business District, Abuja. 

The convention commenced with two lectures, in line with the party’s appreciation of the importance of education for a social-democratic party’s ideological development and cadres’ mentoring. Senator (Prof) Jonathan Silas Zwingina, Chairman, Centre for Legislative Development, presented the lecture on “Electoral Reforms as a Recipe for Good Governance”, while the second paper presented on “Curbing Corruption by Political Leaders: Challenges and Prospects”, was prepared by Justice Mustapha Akanbi, CFR, pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission. The Convention was addressed by eminent personalities including: the first Executive Governor elected on the platform of the Labour Party H.E. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Ondo state and; Comrade John E. Odah, General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress. 

The Convention-in-session: conscious of the historic times we live in as a country entering its fiftieth year as a sovereign multi-national state, in a world seeking alternatives in an era of global socio-economic crisis; realizing the pressing need for a pro-people social transformation of Nigeria that would unleash the deep potentials for national development that inhere in our exceedingly blessed country; intent on transcending lamentation on the unfortunate state of our country, presently, by formulating and mobilizing for an alternative socio-economic, and political framework in the unfolding period, after extensive and intensive deliberations, noted and resolved thus: 

RESOULUTIONS 

Economy: 

1. The Convention-in-session considers any vision of Nigeria becoming one of the twenty leading economies in the world, as commendable. The current “Vision 20: 2020” of the nation, however, lacks a grasp of the underlying basis of economic transformation. In all the countries which Nigeria seeks to emulate, particularly Brazil, Russia, India, and China, transformative socio-political processes, in which the institutions and processes of governance were re-created, were pivotal for economic development. 

The Convention-in-session further notes that only a party, such as the Labour Party, with an ideologically-rooted inspiration, representative of the interests and yearnings of the working people and patriotic entrepreneurs, can lead such a revolutionary-democratic process for the transformation of Nigeria. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves on mobilizing Nigerians for the popular transformation of the country’s governance structures and the formulation of an alternative economic framework geared towards establishing an independent industrial national economy, in line with the LP manifesto. 

2. The Convention-in-session notes that the effects of the neoliberal policies of the ruling party on Nigeria’s working people and local businesses have been very adverse, leading to increasing deprivation and suffering of the immense majority of the citizenry. 

The Convention-in-session, being of the opinion that the current world economic crisis is a testimony of the glaring inadequacy of neoliberalism, and considering the use of state intervention by countries in America and Europe in the wake of the global economic crisis, particularly finds the Federal Government’s insistence on deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, as very unfortunate. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves to provide leadership for Nigerians and be a part of all the struggles of the working people and patriotic entrepreneurs in the country against the neoliberal agenda. The Convention-in-session demands a holistic development approach that shall bring back the state, in an apt mix of government intervention and private enterprise, geared towards enthroning the industrialization of Nigeria. 

3. The Convention-in-session expresses its grave concern at the trading off of Nigeria’s future oil reserves for a paltry fifty billion dollars to China. The Convention-in-conference, considers this unacceptable and a slap on the face of living citizens of our country and Nigerians yet unborn. The Convention-in-session thus calls for an immediate revocation of this unpopular, auction of our collective patrimony, by the Federal Government of Nigeria. 

4. The Convention-in-session realizes the critical place of an effective transportation system for production, distribution and the general welfare of everyone resident in Nigeria. The Convention-in-session observes the degeneration of the railway system and the continued worsening of the country’s roads network. The Convention-in-session thus demands a resuscitation of the country’s railway system as part of a popular over-aching programme for infrastructural rejuvenation. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves that its members as executives and legislators shall utilise the various apparatus of state in which we do have representation, to canvass for the pursuit of social transformation rooted in participatory-democracy and infrastructural development. 

National polity 

5. The Convention-in-session reaffirms the emancipatory benefits of democracy, noting that with all the shortcomings of the practice of democracy by political elites in Nigeria, democracy is still a better form of government compared to military dictatorship. Therefore, LP shall defend democracy and fight to expand the democratic space. 

6. The Convention-in-session considers good governance as being crucial for democratic consolidation, noting that where electoral systems do not ensure, fair and just representation of the electorate’s choices, enthroning good governance would be a mirage with political office holders seeing themselves as being greater than the people. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves on pursuit of comprehensive electoral reforms and in this light, demands the implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led electoral reforms committee’s recommendations, forthwith towards ensuring that democracy flourishes in Nigeria. 

7. The Convention-in-session grasps the pressing need to combat corruption, towards establishing a developmentalist Nigerian state. The Convention-in-session observes the efforts at institutionalizing an anti-corruption campaign, demonstrated with the formation of the ICPC and EFCC. 

It further notes however that the ant-corruption campaign is not sustainable without the creation of a new Nigerian personality and the enthronement of core values of honesty, discipline and industry, which the LP is committed to. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves to be at the vanguard of a more thorough-going anti-corruption campaign, which shall involve the working people and entrepreneurs, replacing corruption as a means of accumulation with the model of a disciplined, developmentalist state. 

8. The Convention-in-session is of the opinion that the health of the President of the federation, Mallam Umaru Yar Adua needs not divide the polity and the country. On the contrary, the quick recovery of the President should be of concern to all Nigerians regardless of political affiliations. 

The convention in session therefore prays for the quick recovery of the President and calls all elected leaders at all levels to dissipate the needed energy on good governance rather than the divisive issue of succession which is clearly provided for in 1999 constitution. 

Party building 

9. The Convention-in-session commits all LP structures to an intensive and systematic process of Party building. The Convention-in-session thus resolves on: setting aside the last week of February every year as Labour Party week, during which programmes aimed at massive expansion of the Party’s membership base which shall be on-going through the year shall be given intensive escalation; setting a target of recruiting 3 million new members in the next four years; conducting a Special Delegates Conference in the first quarter of 2010 towards deliberating specifically on deepening the programmatic framework for LP’s organisational and ideological development 

10. The Convention-in-session, realizing the unquantifiable importance of education and training for the spread of social-democratic ideology and practice, considers it apt to conduct regular and methodical political education for the Party’s cadres and members. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves that a Labour Party Institute for Political Education (LPI), be established by the 2nd quarter of 2010, to conduct education on the Party’s social-democratic principles and training for organising, administration and financial management skills development of LP partisans at national, state, LGA and ward levels. 

11. The Convention-in-session noting the informative, organising and mobilisational place of Party periodicals and occasional publications reiterates the constitutional provision on Party literature, including, periodicals, pamphlets, leaflets and posters on political and critical social issues of concern to the teeming mass of Nigerians and the interest of national development. 

The Convention-in-session thus resolves on the monthly publication of a Labour Party organ which shall serve purposes of information-dissemination on the achievements of public functionaries on the platform of LP, regular education on the Party principles and the organizational mobilization of membership. 

12. The Convention-in-session considers the umbilical ties between the labour movement and the LP and the Convention-in-session thus resolved on building closer working relations between the labour movement and te LP at all levels. 

13. The Convention-in-session extensively deliberated on the reviewed constitution of the Party and adopted it unanimously. 

14. The convention in session acknowledges the level of debates and mass participation that characterized this historic convention and commends all delegates for their maturity in promoting internal party democracy. 

International 

15. The Convention-in-session observes the continued crisis in Guinea, with the usurpation of state power by a military junta and supports the efforts of ECOWAS at ensuring the return of the military to the barracks and the resuscitation of civil-democratic institutions 

16. The Convention-in-session considers the continued illegal occupation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic by the Kingdom of Morocco, as unacceptable. The Convention-in-session also expresses its solidarity with Madame Aminatu Haider, a conscience of the Saharawi people, who has been on hunger strike for the past three weeks, demanding the unconditional re-issuance of her international passport by the Moroccan government. 

The Convention-in-session demands the release of Madame Aminatu’s international passport and the immediate independence of the Saharawi people. 

17. The Convention-in-session demands the full restoration of unfettered democratic process in Zimbabwe. In particular, the Convention-in-session insists that President Robert Mugabe has a singular responsibility to make the current power-sharing arrangement in the country work. 

18. The Convention-in-session considers the new initiative of President Barack Obama on the middle-east, as being a step in the right direction. The Convention-in-session supports the two-state policy for both a Palestinian state and the state of Israel to co-exist. 

19. The Convention-in-session holds in the wake of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate change and re-affirms its commitment to ensuring sustainable development. The Convention-in-session calls on all state and non-state actors, nationally and globally to work collectively towards fighting global warming and saving planet earth. 

The Convention-in-session further reiterates the need for countries in the advanced capitalist countries, whose activities have primarily been at the root of global warming to bear the major responsibilities in saving the environment. 

Elections 

20. The Convention-in-session elected the following members as officers of the National Working Committee for the next four years: 

 

1. National Chairman – Barr. Dan Nwanyanwu 

2. Deputy National Chairman - Dr. Joseph Akinlaja 

3. Deputy National Chairman - Alh. Ali Abatcha 

4. Deputy National Chairman - Mrs. Ladi Iliya 

5. National Vice Chairman South-East – Mr. Callistus Uju Okafor 

6. National Vice Chairman North West – Alh. Umaru Muhammad 

7. National Vice Chairman South-South – Barr. Osagie E. Lawson 

8. National Vice Chairman South West – Gani Daudu 

9. National Secretary – Alh. A. A. Salam 

10. Deputy National Secretary – Com. Babatunde Ayelabola 

11. Deputy National Secretary – Alh. Issa Aremu 

12. Deputy National Secretary – Salisu Nuhu Muhammad 

13. National Treasurer – Mrs. Maria Ukamaka Lebeke 

14. National Financial Secretary – Mrs. Hadiza Abdullahi Kishimi 

15. National Publicity Secretary – Mr. Ikpe Etukudo 

16. National Legal Adviser – Barr. Abiodun Isaac Fasakin 

17. National Women Leader – Barr. Ebere Adannaya Ifendu 

18. Deputy National Women Leader – Hosanna Samuel 

19. National Auditor – Mrs. Lami Ahmed 

Conclusion 

The Convention-in-session, in conclusion, expressed its appreciation to all the delegates, members and guests, who working assiduously, ensured the success of the Convention. The Convention-in-session, especially expressed its deep appreciation of the first LP Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, for his demonstrated qualitative difference in the lives of the citizens of Ondo state where LP is in power.

Delegates further reiterated their unshaken confidence in the Barr. Dan Nwuanyanwu and Alh. A. A. Salam-led leadership of the party and re-affirmed their resolve at building a great Labour Party that shall salvage Nigeria. 

Sgd.

Barr. Dan Nwuanyanwu (National Chairman) & Alh. A. A. Salam  (National Secretary)