OUR MISSION

Democratic culture and values have been long entrenched in Nigeria. Communal accountability, consensus building, consultations and debates are salient features of Nigerian and indeed African culture.

These democratic values inspired early nationalists to rise up and challenge the disruptive authoritarianism of the British colonialists.

It is remarkable therefore that Nigeria at independence in 1960 began with constitutional democracy; parliament, rule of law and citizens’ participation in governance.

First Republic constitutional rule with all its imperfections heralded planned growth and development hitherto denied by colonial dictatorship; until military intervention in 1966, which disrupted the process of democracy in Nigeria.

Three decades of military rule undermined democracy – its norms and values – national development, promoted disunity and perfected the phenomenon of wealth without enterprise through corruption. It also created the condition for the preeminence of ethnic consciousness as against nationalism; thus, perpetrated and deepened the crisis of nation building.

The return to civil rule and proclamation of the constitution in 1999 once again has raised the prospect that democracy in Nigeria has come to stay.

However, Civilian governance since 1999 and the way it has impacted on the economy, social life and popular expectations tend to entrench a notion of hopelessness. This frightening and regretable development creates the urgent need for a salvation and liberation mission in Nigeria.

The elitist, greedy, selfish character and orientation of the current dispensation has negatively impacted on the economy and social life thereby denying the popular expectations of the inherent benefits of democratic process.

The imperatives of today therefore demand that all genuine social democrats, patriots and progressives must at this historic juncture salvage and liberate the nation along the path to democratic renewal and development. The new challenge calls for a new social contract that must bring together committed and altruistic political actors for democratic consolidation in Nigeria. This is the mission of our Party.

The Labour Party will address the issue of political power not as an end, but as the vehicle for the transformation of the country and for governance consistent with the ideology of Social Democracy.

In furtherance of our mission, the Party will embark on programs and policies aimed at but not limited to the following:

* Programs and policies aimed at ensuring that national cohesion, peace, security, stability and prosperity shall be the collective concern of all because most Nigerians would be made to realistically feel, believe and see that Nigeria cares, inspires and exists for all.

* All processes aimed at entrenching a culture of democracy and developmental politics.

* All processes aimed at contesting elections.

* Transforming the Party into a vanguard for the defense and sustenance of democracy.