TheCable

Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the local chapter of the ruling party cannot suspend Muiz Banire, national legal adviser of the party.

On Thursday, Taofeek Ajani-Balogun, acting secretary of Banire’s ward, had announced his suspension over “anti-party activities”.

He said the decision to suspend Banire had been forwarded to the local government area for further deliberation and recommendations to the APC leadership in the state.

But in a statement on Friday,  Abdullahi said only the national executive committee (NEC) had the powers to suspend him.

“The attention of the national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to the purported suspension of the party’s national legal adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) by the party’s executive committee in Mushin local government area of Lagos state,” the statement read.

“We wish to state categorically that the purported suspension is a nullity as the local chapter of the party does not have such powers to suspend a national officer. According to the party’s constitution, such powers reside with the national executive committee (NEC) of the party.

“The party advises that whatever issues there might be, our party structure and constitution provide ample avenues for redress and dispute resolution.

“If the local chapter is unable to achieve a resolution, the NWC can and will wade in the matter to achieve amicable settlement.”