Follow Us on Google
By Lawrence Agbo
Leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) have pushed back against recent calls and judicial actions seeking the deregistration of political parties, insisting that no registered party in Nigeria is weak or irrelevant.
The position was made during appearances on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where party leaders reacted to the Federal High Court ruling directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister several political parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements.
The National Chairman of the ZLP, Dan Nwuanyanwu, defended the court’s decision, stressing that judicial pronouncements must be grounded strictly in facts and evidence rather than external influence or persuasion.
“The law is based on facts and evidence. It is not based on persuasion. It is not based on somebody teleguiding you,” he said.
He argued that political and legal decisions must remain insulated from interference, particularly in matters affecting party registration and compliance with electoral laws.
Other News
On his part, the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, rejected the notion that smaller or lesser-known parties lack relevance in Nigeria’s political system.
He described political parties as public institutions created to serve citizens, not private entities controlled by individuals or vested interests.
“A political party is a public property. It is not meant to be anybody’s property,” Dantalle said, adding that parties were established and funded within a framework meant to ensure fair competition.
He further argued that until all political parties are allowed to operate on equal footing, debates around deregistration and political strength would remain contentious.
Dantalle maintained that no political party should be considered weak, insisting that democracy thrives on pluralism and equal participation.
The comments come amid ongoing legal and political debates surrounding the future of smaller parties in Nigeria, following increased scrutiny of their electoral performance and compliance with constitutional provisions.
