UAD PRESS STATEMENT 2015 ELECTION: A QUESTIONABLE EXTENSION! AGAINST PARTISAN TOYING WITH NIGERIA!! THE MILITARY MUST NOT BE TEMPTED!!!
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| Prof Attahiru Jega, Chairman INEC |
It
is now clear that, this postponement is premeditated. When the kite was first
flown by Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), the National Security Adviser at a discussion
session in Chatham House, United Kingdom, the presidency gave the impression
that it was Col. Sambo’s personal opinion. The main reason he latched on to was
distribution of the PVCs. As he lamented, if barely 30million PVCs had been distributed
in a year, how would the remaining 30million PVCs be distributed in just 2
weeks?
The
more worrying of the reasons given for the postponement is the war in the north
east. The Defence Headquarters letter calling for a shift in the elections date
because of an offensive against Boko Haram is nothing short of the military
bosses overtly meddling in politics.
With the debauched history of military incursion into the polity, United Action
for Democracy condemns this in the strongest of terms.
It
needs to be asked how Nigerians are expected to believe that an insurgency that
could not be curtailed in six years would all of a sudden be curtailed in six
weeks. Further, we can loudly hear the voice of Jacob even if the hand appears
to be that of Esau. It would seem that an embattled presidency is using the
military’s monkey hands to draw out its chestnut from the fire, hoping to
better its lot at the polls by buying time.
United
Action for Democracy is the pan-Nigerian coalition of radical civil society
organisations with affiliates and state chapters across the length and breadth
of the country. We were central to the mass struggles that drew the curtains on
military rule in the 1990s and we will not fold our hands to allow the military
back in power as an institution. We would advise those sections of the ruling
class that think they can and might be using the military top brass to desist.
Those who ride on the backs of tigers quite often end up in their stomachs.
Unfortunately, the fate of 170 million Nigerians, the immense majority of who
are poor working people that have nowhere to run to, hangs in the balance as
well.
UAD
is a political organisation. But we are fiercely non-partisan, having no
illusion in either of the leading parties of the bosses. Our stand is thus not
one in defence of any other party. We call for sober reflections to guide
strategies and tactics that all political formations would commit to at this
moment. We must avoid playing into the hands of the military. If however
despite everything we are taken down that dark, bleak road of khaki and
jackboots once again, the working masses will vehemently fight back. As we
stated in our press statement of November 13, 2014: THE MASSES WILL RESIST ANY COUP!!!
It
is instructive that coup d’états have always been prompted by sections of the
civilian wing of the ruling class as much as by those of them in the military’s
top echelons. It is horrendous that those who have been powerless in addressing
the FGN vs Boko Haram war where poor working people have been the main
casualties can now flex their sinewy muscles in foisting a postponement
of the general elections on Nigerians, in a manner that could lead to chaos
haven bred distrust at an incendiary moment in the nation’s history.
UAD
calls on all Nigerians to remain steadfast in our democratic struggle to change
the system and build a better society where the social wealth will benefit all
and governance will indeed be by the people and for the people, as it is of the
people. We will organise, mobilise and help unite the poor working people to
resist being used as cannon fodder in the struggle of the rich, high and might
to win or retain power. A people united and determined, cannot be defeated.
We
shall overcome!
We
are not afraid!!
Baba Aye
National Convenor
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