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Dimeji Bankole
Although a close friend of Etteh, Bankole also appears to have close ties with those angling to remove her from office. At the inception of the session earlier in the year, he was one in the large orchestra that helped get Etteh into office. With a military background and short service in the British Army, Bankole is the scion of a political family in Ogun State. Among the House's youngest members, he was Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance from 2003 to 2007 and over-sighted reforms in Customs &Excise.

Of the handful of Southwest Reps speculated as likely replacements, Bankole is not one that Etteh would want to frustrate. That is, if her assigning him to chair the Land Transport Committee- at a time when government is all out to invest heavily in resurrecting the railways - is evidence of her confidence. Bankole also appears to appeal to the majority northern caucuses in the House, even if for reasons that are not exactly universally patriotic.

For them, a Moslem is needed to balance the equation

in the leadership of the National Assembly.

At a time when the north tended to view every move of immediate-past Obasanjo presidency with suspicion, Bankole supplied firepower. Claiming a desire to avert a legislature-executive crisis over Reps' demands for money to finance projects, Bankole and his team dissected the 2004 budget estimates and fished out undesignated N100 billion lying loose in the President's draft. Shortly after the 2005 Budget was submitted for presidential assent, Bankole and his team blew the whistle on an alleged signing of a counterfeit Appropriation Act, refigured from the one

passsed by the National Assembly.

Northern legislators have a preference for persons with whom they share a historical affinity, no matter how remote. In 2005, northern Senators ganged up to elect, Senator Ken Nnamani, a former ANPP member with whom they played politics in the defunct National Republican Convention. He was elected over his rivals in the race to succeed Wabara. Bankole, for all the northerners care is the only Yoruba person in the National Assembly with a father who was once chairman of their favourite party, the ANPP. "When the Southwest people were crying that money meant for dredging Bar beach was vired away to the north for irrigation, it was Bankole who reminded them that up to N7 billion came to the Southwest in a similar virement process two days earlier. "This is a game of interests," Frank Moneke, a senior legislative assistant in the House of Reps said, "all depends on whether the Speaker will go or stay. Nobody is sure yet."

Are you sure this is not someone that needs to be investigated, just in case?


http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/life_style/article01/061007

I have the priviledge of being his junior in Secondary school (Baptist Boys' High School, Saje, Abeokuta).

When other seniors bully the juniors for no reasons, he comes to defend juniors.

Calm and always watching, talk very little, but does a lot of thinking, i believe his little stint with the British army is a great influence on him. Was in the plane with him from Abuja in September, he read throughout the duration of the flight.

i believe, he will greatly compliment Yar'dua.

Wishing him good luck.


Long Live BBHS (NULLI SECONDUS), Long Live Nigeria.

God Bless NIGERIA!!!

good for us

From the little we know about our new speaker the following conclusions can be made

1. the guy is an authentic aje-butter

2. the closest he has come to common nigerians will be his house staff, driver and political thugs

we just hope this elite will do bettert than all the previous ones

they have always failed nigerians i just hope he will be different

Same here. I have learned not to put my hope in any politician but to hope that the person will at least do some good if anything.

Nigerians will forever be crying even if the whole country turns into Paradise.

Instead of us to embrace this young man and wish him the best, some of us are busy crying and whining as usual.
I don't get it
We do not want the old politicians to continue to recycle themselves and running things in Nigeria, but at the same time we also complain that the young politicians are not capable; sometimes we don't even know what we want and this is sad. This is also one of the main reasons why the old school will continue to take us for a long ride forevermore.

This young man (Demeji Bankole) represents the new generation and we must give him our 100% support.

We need to wake up!

New generation my ass.In my opinion,. he has not been exposed to politics enough. real world scenario can not be compare to book. is he qualify to be a leader. Yes. But Nigerian politics is to diverse and too brutal for a young in experience guy like this dude.

In all I wish him the best in leading the nation.

@DELIVIO

I can tell you and am in a position to know, the guy is your regular down to earth, everyday person. He knows where the shoe pinch ordinary Nigerians.

Like i said, he will be different from the lot.

300+ house members can't be wrong!.

My only prayer is that he will not be foul by the Abuja "air".

@mamajama,

New generation my ass.In my opinion,. he has not been exposed to politics enough.

expose to the politics of your uncles 'Tafa + Enhindero'?

your two uncles brought down Nigeria Police to its knees with their exposure to Corruption thanks to their god-father OBJ

abeg leave dimeji alone

That is good. Hopefully, young leaders like him will lead the country in the right direction.

ilugunboy:

@DELIVIO

I can tell you and am in a position to know, the guy is your regular down to earth, everyday person. He knows where the shoe pinch ordinary Nigerians.

Like i said, he will be different from the lot.

300+ house members can't be wrong!.

My only prayer is that he will not be foul by the Abuja "air".

Exactly. We have for decades watched many people go up there and get tainted. I am sorry if I choose to put my hope in God than in man and that disturbs you but I like to believe I have learnt enough from the past not to get moved too easy but to wait and see to jump.

The nu speaker should be allowed to function, all the gist about his lack of experience in politics, experience in leadership is all balderdash.As a trained soldier at Sandhurst, U.K., he has been exposed to politiking in various forms.I know what young educated minds have done in different disciplines world over.

In Nigeria, from banking, insurance,aviation,upstream and downstream sector etc young minds have transformed management of human and material resources for the better.

Listen to his speeches b4 his appointment, he is a pro-active person.I am happy that political t.v. viewing will be more interestn as we have a more articulate mind from my generation as no4. person.Am expecting no miracles, but the right foundation is being dug.

Lets support him with ideas, articles n presentations on the way forward for this great nation.

Ol boy sit right,stand right,think right.Jah will see you through.Asee.

tell mr bankole not to be like madam oooooooooooooooo cos that woman let me to be disppointed in her and she come from my home state
very disppointed

yes oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

well,is a wellcome development,we pray he works with dignity n fear of GOD, not with pretense.

Mamajama:

New generation my ass.In my opinion,. he has not been exposed to politics enough. real world scenario can not be compare to book. is he qualify to be a leader. Yes. But Nigerian politics is to diverse and too brutal for a young in experience guy like this dude.

In all I wish him the best in leading the nation.

Will the New Generation Nigeria be able to break itself from the arm of pessimism
Abeg o! be positive for once now

kobojunkie, what a nice comment you gave. na so,great they are as there promise but at the end nothing will come out of it.

Seems like a nice young man, but what's up with those Babangida teeth?

Any DMD in the house to fix the gap?

It is not by looks or by intelligence, it is strictly the fear of God in a man that makes him rule well. Let us all pray that he will have the fear of God in him.

I wish Him the best in his tenure in the house. Nigerians should look for young guys like him than to die in the hands of those old robbers. I f more people like Bankole can emerge in the Nigeria politics. i bet you things will take a new look/shape. All we need is to give him 100% support and alawys pray for him.

Really, Nigeria is making history especially in this political dispensation. we had the first ever female speaker and now first ever bachelor speaker. I hope he would be able to handle the position maturedly. the believe is that if you are not married that means you are not responsible. somebody that has not really handle a nuclear family b4 now cataported to manage multitude. I pray God will be with him.

LET ALL NIGERIANS PRAY FOR HIM SO THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO RESTORE THE LOST HOPE IN THE HOUSE OF REP AND NIGERIA AS A WHOLE

herbsman:
As a trained soldier at Sandhurst, UK., he has been exposed to politiking in various forms.

most of our military dictators went to Sandhurst. whatever that's worth.

This is one of the very few threads I've actually visited where there is more optimism, constructive criticism and the general desire 2 wish someone well (I speak 4 myself Oh ). It is good 2 see some positiveness other than the constant barrage of pessimism, lost hope and putting everyting and anything about nigeria down.

Believe it or not, there is a wind of change in naija, whether its sweet or bitter, depends on how you view things, but thats what change brings, sweetness and bitterness at the same time.

Good luck Mr. Speaker.

KubeSolja. OUT!

i don't think he is ripe enough to handle the stress , he is inexperience

Power changes people, and inexperience does not mean incompetence. It is time we give others a try, rather than circulating the same ol people we've been hearing about since independence, and who have nothing or new ideas to offer.

Our new speaker has a:

BS in Economics from Reading University, UK
Masters in Strategic Studies from Oxford University, UK
Post Graduate studies in Business from Harvard University, US


Better than a hair dresser with a diploma from uniabuja if you ask me

Well hopefully my guy go represent.

lets wait & see

BBHS again !

That's the same school for Obasanjo, Abiola, Sijuade, Kupolokun etc.

Okay o.

For all you ladies in the house. Bankole is single o. Make una troop out to abuja to catch him, lol He's just 37. Anyway apply through me if you want him, he's up for grabs!

This is what we call old boy network in the UK. The Elton old boy type.

In fairness to the new speaker, Hon. BANKOLE, his Educational pedigree apart from BBHS connection is quite impressive even better than the President

There are few observation though that I will like to make.

1. Who nominated him in the first place. Did the signal come from OTA barracks because He is from BBHS, an Egba Man from Ogun State when the seat is zoned to 'OSUN, EKITI,ONDO' etc.
I say that because now he is the no 4 man in Nigeria and God forbid if anthing happens to
Mr. President, VP and Senate President, he will become President of Nigeria and we are back to the EGBA's for Presidency. Unlikely for the scenario above to happen but it is not impossible.

2. What was his life experience at age 37 years old and has only been in the house just 4years, according to information he is not married. isn't that a serious factor in determining suitability of someone for a higher office for the Speaker of the House of Representative (at the National level). We understand that he is not an hairdresser but believe me a good barber is better in some certain circumstances when leadership is at stake.

On the whole, being a young man we all hope that will kickstart the 'taking control' by the youth

We hope the next person for whatever office will not come again fom Egba Land nor BBHS where the position is zoned for South West. It is begining to look as if it is deliberate and not just a mere coincidence.

May God use the New Speaker to make progress for all Nigerians

@CCARAMEL

I hope only God fearing good lady apply and succeded in being Mr. Speaker's wife and not the hungry lion gold diggerr of woman ooh. IN Jesus Name we prayed , he will marry well. Amen.