The National Working Committee, NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the offer by the party’s National Legal Adviser Muiz Banire (SAN) to step aside.
Banire offered to step down as the National Legal Adviser following an investigation launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into a ‘gift’ of N500, 000 he allegedly gave to a judge.
The judge, believed to be Banire’s old friend, allegedly sought for his financial assistance to defray part of the burial expenses of his late mother about three years ago.
But, in a letter yesterday by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party said its NWC “resolved that your voluntary submission for investigation by the EFCC and subsequent offer to step aside from your position as National Legal Adviser to the party is an exemplary representation of the credo of our party.
“After intense discussion, the NWC unanimously decided not to accept your offer to step aside as the National Legal Adviser.”
The party explained that its decision is hinged on the fact that Banire’s offer is “inappropriate since your responsibility as the National Legal Adviser of our party will not, in any way, impede any ongoing investigation by the EFCC, more so, as the allegation has no nexus with the party.”