Threat To Life Won’t Stop My Crusade Against Imposition Of Candidates – Banire

Dr Muiz Banire, SAN, National Legal Adviser, APC

The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), has declared that threats to his life from those he called ‘rudderless agents of anti-democratic practices in Lagos State’ would not stop his struggle to enshrine the culture of internal democracy in APC.

Banire who disclosed that he had received several life threatening text messages from those who were against  his strong stance on imposition of candidates said he cannot be intimidated into throwing in the towel.

In a statement he personally signed Monday night, Banire also alerted the public to a protest rally being coordinated by a former local government boss and serving Commissioner in Lagos State against him . The alleged protest against Banire was planned for Tuesday (today).

He said the planned attack on him was as a result of his principled stance on issues being handled the proper way in the APC.

Recall that the Lagos State chapter of the party had accused Banire of being behind the nullification of the primaries for Odi-Olowo Local Council Development Area for the upcoming council poll in the state.

But Banire denied involvement in the court processes, saying all he did as the National Legal Adviser of the party was to provide lawyers to defend the APC in the suit.

Banire’s statement read, “It has come to my attention that a rent-a-crowd rally is being organised by one Mr. Seye Oladejo, former Chairman of Mushin Local Government and the current Commissioner for Special Duties in Lagos State with the assistance of some elements to destroy the democratic aspirations of the people.

The said rally is being planned to hold on Tuesday the 18th day of July, 2017. It is saddening to note that not satisfied with the several threat to life messages emanating from their quarters and addressed to me to intimidate me, these rudderless agents of anti-democratic practices in Lagos State have perfected plans to carry out a financially induced protest march against me in order to impose their soulless campaign of imposition of candidates against the people of Lagos State.

“We use this medium to reiterate that no amount of campaign of calumny or threat to life shall deter me from maintaining my principled position on the need to allow internal democracy in our great party, “All Progressives Congress. This is uncompromisable in order to instil sanity in our democratic experiment and allow progressive development in Nigeria. As the National Legal Adviser of APC, I am the custodian of the constitution of our great party and the counsellor of the party on legal matters.

“It would be most destructive to find me lending my weight in favour of imposition of candidates on the members of the party in order to promote a culture of personality cult advancement being nursed and nurtured by the likes of the organisers of this conscienceless rally.

“I hereby notify the general members of the public and our progressive members of APC not to be confused by these agents of dictatorship who would level allegation of anti-democratic stance against other political parties in power but would savour every bit of dictatorship when they hold the reins of power.

“A life without a worthy principle is not worth living”