News
Dimeji Bankole dumps ADP for APC
By Jide Orintunsin, Abuja
Former Speaker House of Representatives and 2019 Ogun State Action Democratic Party (ADP) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Oladimeji Bankole, has dumped his party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The nation’s youngest Speaker of the lower chamber of the National Assembly yesterday met with the APC Chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Gov. Mai Mala Buni in Abuja in company with the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Badru.
The meeting, which took place at the APC Chairman’s residence in Abuja, lasted about an hour.
Efforts to get any of the leaders to talk failed as the trio kept sealed lips but only posed for photographs.
But a terse statement by Malam Mamman Mohammed, Director General, Press Affairs to Governor Buni, confirmed the meeting and said “the three leaders discussed on a wide range of political issues, including the movement of the former Speaker and his supporters into the party.”
He further said: “It is evident that APC’s opportunities in Ogun State is growing and widening.”
Reacting to the development, the National Chairman of ADP, Engr. Yabagi Sani, in a telephone interview, said the party was not disappointed by Bankole’s move.
According to Sani, “that’s a typical Nigerian politician for you. They don’t believe in building but sharing. I thought with his age and experience he would show good example. His step is most unfortunate but we aren’t disappointed.”
It will be recalled that former Governor of Ogun State, Otumba Gbenga Daniel, who was also the Director General of PDP’s Atiku Abubakar Presidential campaign organization, recently joined the ruling party.
