We're Unmoved By Bankole's Rumored Defection to SDP - Ogun PDP

The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said it is not bothered by the defection of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), saying the defection poses no threat to the electoral fortune of the party in the forthcoming elections.

PDP added that Bankole who boycotted the governorship primaries conducted by the party in the State no longer commands electoral values that could ensure victory for anybody or political party at the poll.

The state Chairman of the PDP, Bayo Dayo, who made this known in Abeokuta, the State capital, while fielding questions from reporters during the inauguration of the state’s 35-man Governorship Campaign Committee at the party secretariat, dismissed Bankole as a paper weight politician.

According to The Nation, he said: “I always say the truth. I heard it (Bankole's defection) last night and I can tell you as I have said earlier, it’s a free world, everybody has the right to be associated with any group that he wishes. But if that is done, you will then know and the people in Abuja will know who is on the ground.

“Bankole contested the position of House of Representatives in one local government when he was in office as the Speaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and lost.

“Let him now contest in 20 local government areas and let us see the outcome. I challenge them to the fact that come February 14, you will all see the result of whatever arrangement that is going on.

“Some people, when they live in glass houses, they will not know that there are other people looking at them.

“Let him contest under any platform and people in Abuja will know whether he is actually on ground or not. That is all I have to say. We cannot force everybody to stay in PDP. Our prayer is that the more people that are going out, more people that are more than them should be coming to the party. And with that, we are going to win the election come February 14 by the grace of God.”