Former National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire, has said he would prefer the South East to produce the next president of the country.
The former Lagos State commissioner for Transportation who stated this in an interview on a Lagos based radio station, RadioNow, said he is in support of rotation and zoning of the presidency to the South.
According to him, if it would be micro-zoned, the South East should produce the next president, adding that the South East has suffered enough marginalisation in the country’s political process.
“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 the South East on the 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,” he said.
He noted that any other zone in the South can become the President if the South East is not ready, saying “Not a problem at all, any other zone in the South can take it, any other zone can take it.”
Banire who was a former commissioner under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu led government in Lagos, said he was not aware of the ambition of his former boss.
“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 of now that you are talking. I am not aware.
“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.
