APC lawyer Banire in trouble as members demand his sack

These are not the best of times for the national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muiz Banire.
Following what has been alleged to be embarrassing and morally deficient situation he involved himself in, members of the party in his Mushin constituency, Lagos, have demanded for his immediate sack.

The members said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party must without further delay remove Banire first and foremost as APC national legal adviser, and then expel him from the party.
This was contained in a statement released by Kehinde Babatunde and Tayo Williams, explaining that Banire had exposed himself to several embarrassing and morally deficient situations that have done great harm to the image of the party.

Among the evils of Banire, as alleged by the party members, was his approach to a court recently to secure a judgment against the party in Odi-Olowo local government.

They said, “The build up to the judgment as regards the local government elections in Odiolowo was not lost on us. In suit No ID/1838/GCM/2017 before Hon. Justice Okuwobi, Dr. Banire as the national legal adviser assigned a legal representative for the defence of the party in the suit, and instructed the legal representative to disavow the party.

“This was evident in his response to the party chairman’s statement against this highly unethical behaviour, wherein he categorically stated that yes he instructed the legal representative to do so, disregarding the possibility that his action could cause the party losing the forthcoming elections.”

They also alleged that Banire instigated one of his close allies named Ayo Adeluola to sign a full page advertorial in a national newspaper, referring to the party and their leaders as 419, amongst other uncomplimentary remarks.

“The same Ayo Adeluola, a member of MEF (Dr. Banire’s political group) in another attempt to bring the party into disrepute had gone to Channels TV – Politics Today, and called the party leaders in the state names and disparaged them,” they added.

The APC leaders also fingered another Banire ally and member of MEF, Niyi Akinsiju, of signing a full page advertorial in the Punch, praising Banire while giving the party uncomplimentary remarks.
“It is a well-known fact that these two funny characters are members of Banire’s MEF in Mushin. The masquerade finally unveiled itself when Dr. Banire in an interview published in the Sunday Punch, went berserk, referring to the parties hierarchy in Lagos State as thieves, alleging that they sold tickets to candidates among many other issues he raised.

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“In the grossly unfocused interview, he also disregarded and referred to a two-time Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi and the Chairman of the state party electoral committee as a nobody.”

“This is unbecoming of a high ranking Officer of the party. He also once openly condemned the Governor of Lagos State (who he ordinarily would have spoken to in private) for appointing Sole Administrators, whereas he in his usual inconsistent character joined in celebrating the appointment of the youngest Sole Administrator,” the party members alleged.
Banire had once offered to step aside, pending the conclusion of investigation into his alleged involvement in bribery of some judges.
He was then said to have allegedly assisted a judge of the national Industrial Court with N500,000, which he had denied.

Banire’s political travails may not be unconnected to a brewing silent war over the conduct and direction of the forthcoming local government elections in the state. He, reportedly, has canvassed against imposition of candidates and called for greater internal democracy within the party in Lagos where Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the major power broker.

 

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