ZLP urges action against rising political crises in Rivers, Osun, Lagos

The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, warning that political tensions in Rivers, Osun, and Lagos states could spiral out of control.

In a statement on Sunday, made available to The Guardian in Jalingo, Taraba State, the party’s National Chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, revealed that the party recently held an emergency meeting to discuss what he described as “anti-democratic developments” in these states.

“We at ZLP sincerely bemoan the ugly and anti-democracy music booming in Rivers, Osun, and Lagos states,” Nwanyanwu stated. “We call on President Tinubu to halt this disturbing trend, especially since it is allegedly coming from his political associates.”

The party cautioned against any attempts to replicate past political crises, drawing comparisons to the violent unrest of the “Wild Wild West” era in the Southwest and militant activities in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Nwanyanwu pointed to the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, questioning the legality of 27 state lawmakers who defected from their party despite no division at the national level.

He noted that these legislators had sworn affidavits confirming their defection, only to later attempt to retract them.

“Even an unborn child can attest to the defection—there are public announcements, video recordings, and even a reception organized by their new party,” he said.

The ZLP also criticized the withholding of funds and other political maneuvers that have fueled the crisis, warning that unchecked political privilege is endangering democratic stability.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic struggles in the 1990s, Nwanyanwu reminded Tinubu of their shared history in the pro-democracy movement, emphasizing that many of today’s political actors were absent from that fight.

The party urged the president to intervene urgently, noting that Nigeria’s democracy is in a fragile state. It warned that if Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State were impeached in a non-transparent manner, it could provoke unrest, potentially leading to economic sabotage by militant groups.

“This is how the Wild Wild West crisis started,” ZLP cautioned. “Imagine the unintended consequences, including disruptions to oil production, if the situation is not handled with care.”