Former National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, has ruled out Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the 2023 presidential race.
Speaking in an interview on RadioNow, Banire said he has no issue with their aspirations because it is within their rights to do so.
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However, Banire, a former Commissioner under Tinubu, said he was not aware of the ambition of his former boss.
He said, “Apart from the purported declaration at the Villa in which he has always said he only came to inform the President but I am still doing consultations, I am not aware, as far as I am concerned, that he is contesting as at now that you are talking. I am not aware.”
He however declared that Tinubu’s decision to contest is legitimate.
“It is very legitimate, all of them. The more the merrier. We need more people but for me, if you ask me, you know I will always support the younger ones. I prefer the younger ones for obvious reasons,” he said.
Asked if Osinbajo who is also believed to be contesting falls to his category of the “younger ones,” he said, “If you go by my own threshold, he (Osinbajo) probably would not qualify too because I am of the view, just like Afe Babalola, that 60-year mark should be the threshold.”
Banire also backed rotation and zoning of the Presidency to the South, saying if it would be micro-zoned, South East should produce the next President.
According to him, the South East has suffered enough marginalisation in the Nigeria’s political firmament.
He said, “I must confess to you. Up to about two years ago, I was not for zoning. I was for competence and merit. But because of certain developments that I notice in the country particularly the unfairness and injustice in the country, I felt there is a need for other regions to partake in it. So I am more in favour of power shifting to the South now.
“If you ask me about micro-zoning, I might be beaten up because my tendency would be more in favour of South East on point of equity.
“My tendency would be for them because if you look at all the analysis, we have oppressed these people too much. Go and look at the hierarchy of all the people occupying all the various positions in this country today, before you get to the South Eastern people, it is a long way.”
Banire added that any other zone in the South can become the President if the South East is not ready.
“Not a problem at all, any other zone in the South can take it, any other zone can take it.”
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