The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, APC Dr Muiz Banire, SAN has scorned the reports of his suspension being circulated in a section of the media saying that a local chapter of the APC cannot suspend a substantive national officer of the party like him.
Banire dismissed the purported suspension in a terse statement made available to the media tonight.
He said, “I have just been told that a press release is circulating around from the State Government that I have been suspended. This is another orchestrated lie by the State.
“ I am still the substantive legal adviser of the party above being suspended by any organ but the National leadership of the APC.
Meanwhile, Banire asked his detractors to watch him on the television tonight for news report where he was discharging the functions of office.
“ For those who care, they should watch NTA and other media outlets tonight for where I was presenting my Constitutional amendment report to the National Chairman. They should ignore the mischief”, the Senior Advocate said .
Earlier, it was reported that the Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Mushin Local Government suspended Banire over an alleged anti-party activities.
Acting Secretary of the Ward, Taofeek Ajani-Balogun, who reportedly announced the decision to suspend Banire accused the national legal adviser of Inciting the public against the interest of the Party; falsely accusing the party of imposition in public thereby bringing the Party into disrepute; Disobeying and causing others to disobey lawful directives of the party causing disaffection within the party.
Recall that Banire has been on the war path with powerful individuals in the Lagos APC over his staunch stand on adherence to internal democracy as enshrined under Article 20 of the APC constitution.
In an attempt to force him to rescind his position on the matter, a protest rally was allegedly sponsored last Tuesday calling for his expulsion from the party.
However, courageous Banire insisted that no amount of protest, intimidation and harassment would make him support the impunity of imposition.
“After a critical assessment of individual activities and the performance of the party during the last elections, members of the party in Ward C, Ilasamaja, Mushin unanimously voted for the immediate suspension of Banire from participating in party activities in the Ward and his removal from office as National Legal Adviser.
Speaking further, Ajani- Balogun said the meeting resolved to suspend the Ward and LGA Chairmen and Executives due to the poor results recorded in the last elections and has forwarded the ward’s decision to the LGA for further deliberations and recommendations to the State Chapter.
Also, the acting Party LGA Chairman (Mushin), Mr Sola Osobajo confirmed that during the last LGA meeting, the party received and reviewed minutes of meeting from Ward C and considered the decisions contained therein.
He said, “after receiving the minutes of the Ward C meeting, concerned and committed members of our great party, APC in Mushin Local Government deliberated on the resolutions of the ward meeting and having carefully considered the decision of Ward C EXCO, we decided to adopt the resolution for further necessary action at the State and National level. The Party EXCO in Mushin Local Government further recommended to the State Chapter the expulsion of Mr Muiz Banire from the party,” he said.
It would be recalled that leaders and members of All Progressives Congress APC, last Tuesday held a peaceful protest to demand the expulsion of Banire from the party based on alleged anti-party activities and in accordance with Article 21 of the constitution of the party.
Some of the grounds for the request are alleged anti-party activities such as causing a Legal Representative to disavow the Party in a Law suit before the elections and working towards the electoral failure of the Party.
Other anti-party activities which Banire was accused of before and during the last local Government elections include; Inciting the public against the interest of the Party; falsely accusing the party of imposition in public thereby bringing the Party into disrepute; Disobeying and causing others to disobey lawful directives of the Party Causing disaffection within the party.
The party also accused Banire of causing his supporters to disrupt the peaceful process of efficient organisation of the Party, particularly in respect of the campaigns of candidates of the Party and causing fear and apprehension among Party loyalists during the elections.
