It is great day today as we formally announce the merger of the NIGERIAN YOUTHS DEMOCRATIC GROUP (NYDG) with the MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE (MOP). This is after serials of discussions spanning about three months, and bordering on various ideological issues from the neo-colonial capitalist nature of Nigeria and Africa, to the question of Socialist alternative to the question of building a mass revolutionary political party of the oppressed and toiling masses and youth.

As saying goes, “when people share the same ideology and viewpoints on issues, it is only a matter of time before they unite”. This is exactly what has developed with this merger of the NYDG with MOP. This is definitely not an opportunistic merger between strange bedfellows, typical of the Nigerian ruling elites; this unity is based on ideology, socialist and class oriented programs, and desire to build a mass political party of the masses and youth. This is one of the clarion calls of the #EndSARS revolt, which is still ongoing.

The NYDG was one of the political organizations that developed during the October days of the #EndSARS struggle and was sincerely oriented towards the problematic NIGERIAN YOUTHS DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NYDP) until they too confirmed its shortcomings and opted out, and set out to seek like minds.

The implication of this development is that the struggle towards concretely building a revolutionary political organization of the masses and youth capable of taking political power from the rotten hands Nigerian plundering ruling elites ganged up in APC and PDP, just got reinforced.

The NYDG joining the MOP alliance is another major morale booster in the struggle towards registering the MOP in the consciousness of the Nigerian masses and youth and also seeking formal registration with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

On INEC, we have no illusions that the body is committed to the content of its name. It is now thirteen days since we wrote them to formally request for the registration requirements of a political party in Nigeria and they are yet to reply. In spite of this, we are proceeding with the tasks of meeting their requirements and we have no illusions about what their response would be, because it is clear that the Nigerian ruling class are desperate to make politics an exclusive reserve of the super-rich capitalists alone.

We know that the ruling class never grant any concession or make any reform without a struggle. Their desire to quiet the toiling masses and youth would definitely be challenged in the fields of struggle both politically and legally.

The struggle to build the MOP as a movement and political party of the masses and youth is the struggle for a revolutionary transformation of Nigeria in the interest of the mass majority and save the country from deeper collapse into outright barbarism, as we are all witnessing.

*RAISE IN INSECURITY AND ETHNIC TENSION*

We are in no way surprised about the collapse of security around the country (north and south) nor are we surprised by the increase in deadly ethnic – religious tensions in Nigeria. These events of the past days only confirm our perspective that the Nigerian ruling capitalist elites (who are stooges of imperialism) are rotten to the bones and nothing progressive can be expected from them. Rather, they are bound to plunge the society into another insane carnage that could make the civil war in the 1960s look like child’s play, if care is not taken.

From Katsina State to Igangan, Oyo State, to Orlu, Imo State, the scenario of insecurity and impunity crudely play themselves out. The responsibility of this barbarism rests solely in the heads of the Buhari – APC regime and the heads of the entire Nigerian Ruling class in general.

There is banditry in the north, as there is banditry in the south. Nigerians know that the government in power is a government of bandits not different from the past ruinous PDP. There are mass protests actions against killings and insecurity in the north, as there are mass actions against the situation in the south too. It is now 99 days since the military massacred peaceful protesters in cold blood, and now the killing theatre has moved to Orlu.

In MOP, we observed these events in a holistic way, and not in parts. This is why we refuse to be drawn into ethnic – religious dimensions, which the Nigerian ruling class have mastered over the years, and which their agents of confusion have continued to imposed on the society through the mainstream media and reactionary organizations.

Our clarion call remains for the Nigerian masses and youth to unite – south and north – against the ruling class and not to fall for the divide and rule tricks of the ruling class. The crises facing humanity in Nigeria and Africa can only be solved when a unity front of the toiling and oppressed masses and youth is achieved. There are no shortcuts!

We stand against any attempt to pitch masses, bloodily, against themselves.

The Buhari – APC regime and Nigerian ruling class have failed to provide basic security. They are actually the invisible hands behind banditry. They have failed to develop the economy and lift people out of poverty. They have rather intensified economic attacks of the masses on all fronts. Right now, electricity tariffs are going up again, there is no serious response to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic, etc. Their economic mispolicies continue to create monstrous levels of poverty in the land.

All these confirm more dangers ahead and the need to get organized. The Movement of the People (MOP) would continue to agitate on the unity of the people to defeat the forces of backwardness and barbarism the Nigerian ruling class wants to plunge the society into.

Signed
Seun Kuti
Protem Chairperson MOP

Olaseni Ajai
Protem Secretary General MOP

Kamal Adekola
NYDG
Andrew Medunoye Omoyeni
NYDG