2023: Ask Amaechi, Ngige, Malami Others to Resign Now, Zenith Labour Party Tells Buhari

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct his cabinet and other appointees contesting elective positions in the 2023 to immediately resign.

ZLP, at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting added that it was immoral for the appointees to remain in the office while seeking elective offices.

The opposition party also  criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for charging exorbitant nomination fees, adding that it would serve as an incentive for those who eventually assume office to steal.

The National Chairman,  ZLP, Dan Nwanyanwu, who presided over the meeting, said it was sad that president has remained silent over the refusal of his ministers and other appointees seeking office to resign from office.

Nwanyanwu said: “The NEC condemns the president’s silence on the appointees in the government who are seeking elective offices. It is absurd. It has not happened in our history. It raises a morality question and ZLP believes that there should be moral content in politics. President Muhammadu Buhari this  is not right.

“The NEC therefore calls on the president to direct all those who have indicated interest to run to resign immediately. It shouldn’t be happening under his watch.

“This is not right. It should not be accepted by you. Act as we know you to direct them to resign their position and go contest the positions they want. This is the position of most Nigerians. It is not right and we should not allow it to be a part of our political
culture.”

 While also decrying the high fees charged by the two main parties for nomination forms, the ZLP  chairman said it was merely a money-making venture by the party leadership which has excluded youths and women from participating in the forthcoming elections.

Calling on the party leaderships to  review their fees, Nwanyanwu lambasted the APC for attempting to  justify the N100 million fee, noting that the current chairman paid  N5 million back in 1999 when he picked governorship forms on PDP’s platform.

He also berated the President’s silence over the matter, adding that it was wrong for him to allow the fixing of such a high price having criticised it in the past.

“NEC condemns in strongest terms the high nomination fees charged by the APC and PDP. We urged them to revisit and reverse the fees.

“Somebody wants to contest for the office of president, you are charging him N100 million whereas he won’t earn up to N40 million in office. That is an encouragement to steal while in office,” he said.

He however urged youths and women to come secure ZLP forms, adding the party deliberately made its forms affordable for them as part of measures to ensure inclusiveness.

“You cannot shut the youths out. We have been calling on youths and women to come and use this opportunity provided by ZLP don’t be an internet tiger, come and join our party and get forms. The good thing is that young people have been joining our party.

He, however, added, “What will happen in 2023 is in the hands of the youths who should come and exercise their franchise. If the youths and women fail to take their destiny in their hands in 2023, they should never complain again.”