Activists under the umbrella of Coalition for Revolution (CORE) have condemned what they termed the continued imposition of numerous anti-masses and anti-youth programmes by the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled Federal Government.
In a communiqué issued after a meeting of participating organisations in CORE in Ikeja, it described the Finance Bill 2019 recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari as being notoriously anti-masses.
The communiqué, signed by Olaseni Ajai and Baba Aye, CORE Co-Conveners, stated: “We see the continued pouring of more hardship and economic burdens on the heads of the Nigerian masses and youth by the various levels of government (federal, state and local government) as a crime against humanity. This is purely a man-made crisis and reflects the peak of degeneration and exploitation.
“Since the beginning of the year, we have been assailed with notification of increment in electricity tariffs by over 70 percent over the present levels by April, increment of school fees, devaluation of the Naira, notice to bring back tolls on roads, introduction of new taxes and levies, mass sack of workers, and the signing of the anti-poor people 2019 Finance Bill into law.
“The reduction in some bank charges announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the close of 2019 was actually a smokescreen to cover up monstrous new bank charges, levies and criminal regulations, which make nonsense of the so-called reduction.”
CORE maintained that the contents of the 2020 budget as approved by the National and State Assemblies, “are a bundle of scandals that would definitely not move the society forward, but increase the poverty in the land and plunge the country into more huge foreign and national debts.
It lamented that several billions of naira had been allocated for the upkeep of billionaire politicians and the super-rich, while the masses and youth were left with nothing.
It continued: “While huge tax holidays have been granted to the rich, the tax bills of the masses have been increased to the extent that an agenda of taking money from even the unemployed has been put in place.
“Taxing people trying to survive on a mere $1 per day is a major economic crime. Personal Income Tax has been increased and several new taxes and levies have been imposed from telecommunication to fuel.
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“These economic attacks will definitely make nonsense of the N30,000 minimum wage, which as we speak, is yet to be fully implemented at all levels as 23 states are still currently saying that they will not implement it. However, it is clear that all they give with one hand, they are taking back with the other, using price increases.”
The group stressed that as the economic hardship had worsened, so also had attacks on civil liberties worsened, with citizens now facing crude military cum police dictatorship, adding that nobody could put a figure to the number of Nigerians currently languishing in various detention centres on the orders of officials of government at federal, state or local government levels, using top police, military or SSS officers, as impunity had remained the order of the day.
CORE stressed: “It was mass pressure, both nationally and globally, that forced the Buhari regime to release Sowore as ordered by the court. Scores of other activists are still in detention. Members of CORE organisations and the #RevolutionNow movement are still in detention or facing trial as at today.
“Still in detention to our knowledge are Agba Jalingo, a journalist and supporter of #RevolutionNow movement detained for more than 120 days in Calabar and charged with attempt to overthrow the State government.
“Barrister Joseph Odok, a lawyer and critic of the Ayade’s PDP government in Cross River State is being detained along with Agba Jalingo in Calabar.
“Abdulmumi Shehu Sanni: NCP Katsina State Chair detained since Nov 12 2019 for writing a petition against the APC governor of Katsina State. Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention for more than 1,400 days.”
The group accused the Buhari administration of plotting to silence all voices of opposition and intensify repression with the Social Media and Anti-Hate Speech Bill currently being considered by the National Assembly.
“The consensus of organisations in the Coalition for Revolution meeting is to demand for an immediate end to all the anti-masses economic programmes at all levels, an immediate release of all political prisoners still in detention and for the immediate end to detention without trial.
“The coalition resolved to continue to stand on the side of the exploited and oppressed. We will thus continue to fight on the side of the Nigerian masses and youth in the struggle for revolutionary change in the interests of the overwhelming majority,” it said.
