All windows have been shut against the former Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt Hon. Dimeji Bankole to fly the flag of any popular political party to contest the gubernatorial election of Ogun State in this year general elections. According to information reaching yemojanewsng.com, Dimeji Bankole had been told pointblank that he could not be made the flag bearer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State.
It would be recalled that the Abeokuta, Ogun State born ex speaker had fought vigorously for about two month to clinch the guber ticket of his political party, the People Democratic Party, but met stiff opposition and obstacle from the financier of the party, Prince Kashamu Buruji who had sworn never to make Bankole the PDP`s flag bearer.
Dimeji Bankole pulled all the stings from the presidency to the National Headquarters of the party, but all proofed futile. The party primary was eventually won by Prince Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka at a process which Dimeji Bankole and his supporters boycotted.
After losing out in the PDP, we learnt Dimeji Bankole began to shop for another political party to achieve his dream , and the option of the SDP came forth.
The SDP, a political party made up of break-away faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ogun State is promoted and financed by former governor of Ogun State and elder Statesman, Chief Olusegun Osoba. Interestingly, the SDP has been able to attract political big wigs in its fold after its formation as all the three senators in the state as well as six House of Reps members defected to the new party, therefore, making it a third force in the political arrangement of Ogun State
News started to flying around in the Ogun State political grapevine that Dimeji Bankole had secured the governorship ticket of the SDP. But no sooner had the news been authenticated than the people of the state began to see the posters of the senator representing Ogun West district, Senator Akin Odunsi as the governorship aspirant of the SDP.
Many had thought Senator Odunsi’s name was just being propped up to fill the governorship aspirant vacuum as the SDP initially had no governorship aspirant.
But the Odunsi for governor agenda became a reality when Hon. Dimeji Bankole alongside his father, Chief Alani Bankole few days back went to meet with Chief Segun Osoba at his Ibara, G.R.A, Abeokuta home to know if he (Osoba) could give Dimeji Bankole the SDP guber ticket.
A source who was present at the meeting told yemojanewsng.com that Chief Osoba made it known to Dimeji and his father that Dimeji can not get the ticket of the SDP. “Chief osoba said he does not trust Dimeji Bankole, and he doesn’t want to fall victim of disloyalty and betrayal twice. Osoba was very emphatic that he would not be able to control Dimeji if he becomes governor. He likened Dimeji to Governor Amosun whom he installed as incumbent governor.” Our source explained.
The refusal by Osoba to give the SDP ticket to Dimeji Bankole has however laid to rest the speculated decamping of Dimeji from the PDP to SDP while his supporter have resigned to fate.
