Ogun PDP stakeholders tip Dimeji Bankole for governorship

    
Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State have begun moves to field the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, for the 2015 governorship election in the state.

This followed the release of timetable for the 2015 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Ogun PDP stakeholders also decried plans by a caucus within the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s camp to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.

The party chiefs also threw their weight behind the new National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, and backed his ongoing efforts at reconciling all aggrieved members.

They however expressed the belief and confidence that with a formidable candidate like Bankole, the party could wrest power from the ruling APC in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the Ogun PDP stakeholders, drawn from the four major factions of the party in the state, held a meeting at the Iperu, Remo North Local Government Area country home of a former member of the House of Representatives, Dave Salako, on Monday with Bankole.

Members of the PDP stakeholders, who attended the Iperu meeting included those from the Obasanjo faction of the party in the state as well as the loyalists of the former Minister of Commerce, Senator Jubril Martins Kuye, and those led by the Chairman of the Organisation and Mobilisation Committee in the South-West of the party, Mr. Buruji Kashamu.

Some members of the former governor Gbenga Daniel’s group were said to have attended the meeting.

The Ogun PDP chiefs said to be present at the meeting in which “strenuous efforts” were said to have been made to convince the former speaker to fly the flag of the party against incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun included Salako, Senator Lekan Mustapha and Chief Wale Ogunbanjo.

Others were Sina Adejobi, two serving members of the Ogun State House of Assembly-Abiodun Akovoyon and Minority Leader, Job Akitan-; Pelumi Olusola, Tunji Akinosi, Nasiru Isiaka, Chief Dele Ajayi, Chief Wale Egunleti, Michael Fasinu, Alhaji Abeeb Ajayi and Chief Yinka Sosinde.

Confirming the development, the host of the meeting and leader of the JMK group, Dave Salako, said the party in the state was currently searching for “a credible and strong candidate that will take the reins of governance from Amosun.”