ZLP Fires Back at AGF Over Delisting Threat, Says Party Too Strong to Silence, Invites Aggrieved Politicians Ahead of 2027 By Raymond Enoch
The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party, Dr. Dan Nwanyanwu, has launched a fierce political rebuttal against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, over suggestions that the Independent National Electoral Commission should delist political parties that failed to secure major elective victories.
In a strongly worded reaction on Thursday, Nwanyanwu described the proposal as unconstitutional, politically motivated and a dangerous attempt to weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The veteran politician expressed shock that the AGF would mention the ZLP among parties allegedly unqualified to remain in existence despite what he described as the party’s “impressive grassroots victories” across the country.
According to him, the ZLP currently boasts no fewer than 179 councillorship seats and 15 local government chairmanship positions nationwide — achievements he argued clearly satisfy constitutional requirements for political party recognition in Nigeria.
Nwanyanwu insisted that under Nigerian law, a political party remains legally valid once it secures even a single councillorship seat, questioning why the Attorney General would seek to push for the liquidation of parties that still command electoral support at the grassroots level.
“You are afraid those in the other parties will come here, and what if they come here, what is your business?” Nwanyanwu declared.
“If they want to come here, let them come. Don’t stop people from exercising their constitutional rights. Nigerians have the right to move freely from one political party to another and participate in elections without intimidation.”
The ZLP chairman warned against what he termed the misuse of state power to stifle political competition, reminding the AGF that public office is temporary and should never be used against democratic institutions.
“Abubakar Malami sat on that seat yesterday, Lateef Fagbemi is there today. He should warn himself,” he stated pointedly.
In what appeared to be a strategic political invitation ahead of the next election cycle, Nwanyanwu openly called on dissatisfied politicians across party lines to defect to the Zenith Labour Party, assuring them of a peaceful and litigation-free political platform.
“We have no crisis anywhere. We are as free as the air. Nigerians who want to contest elections should come and pick our forms and run under the Zenith Labour Party,” he said.
The ZLP chairman also revisited the tense atmosphere surrounding the 2023 presidential election collation process, revealing what he described as his pivotal intervention during the crisis that trailed the announcement of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
According to him, while several opposition parties mounted pressure against continuation of the collation exercise, he personally advised the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to proceed with the process in the national interest.
Nwanyanwu claimed that decision ultimately preserved constitutional order and paved the way for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.
“That was what saved Mahmood Yakubu to continue. If the collection had failed, Tinubu would not have become president,” he asserted.
He further alleged that a collapse of the collation process could have triggered a constitutional crisis capable of extending the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari through an interim arrangement backed by the doctrine of necessity.
“Buhari would have dissolved INEC and appointed another leadership. Before long, they would ask for six months to reorganize the process. By then, Buhari’s tenure would be ending, and the National Assembly could have invoked the doctrine of necessity to install an interim president,” he said.
The outspoken ZLP leader maintained that his intervention helped stabilize Nigeria’s democracy at a critical moment and warned against actions capable of shrinking democratic participation in the country.
Political observers believe Nwanyanwu’s comments may signal an aggressive repositioning of the Zenith Labour Party ahead of the 2027 political season, especially as internal crises continue to unsettle several major opposition parties across the country.
