By Gabriel Atumeyi
A former speaker of the House of Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole, is set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement on Friday, Mamman Mohammed, spokesman of Mai Mala Buni, Yobe governor and chairman of APC caretaker committee, said the former speaker met with the leadership of the party on his planned defection.
“Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Chairman, APC CECPC, today hosted Bankole and Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa,” the statement reads.
“The three leaders discussed on a wide range of political issues, including the movement of the former speaker and his supporters into APC.
“It is evident that APC’s opportunities in Ogun are growing and widening.”
Bankole’s planned defection comes weeks after Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun state, decamped to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Bankole was the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) during the 2019 governorship election in Ogun.
Bankole recently married Aisha Shinkafi Saidu, who is the step-daughter of Governor Bagudu. She is also the granddaughter of late political heavyweight and onetime head of Nigeria’s security organisation Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, Marafan Sokoto and her mother is Shinkafi’s daughter and a sister to the former Governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Shinkafi.