Dimeji Bankole

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oladimeji Sabur Bankole
Dimeji Bankole
Honourable Representative
Incumbent
Assumed office 
April 2003
Preceded by Laoshe Abraham Lanre
Constituency Abeokuta South Federal Constituency
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria
Incumbent
Assumed office 
November 1, 2007
Deputy Usman Bayero Nafada
Preceded by Patricia Etteh
Born November 14, 1969
Abeokuta, Ogun State
Nationality Nigerian
Political party People's Democratic Party (PDP)
Spouse None (unmarried)
Profession Businessman and economist
Religion Islam

Oladimeji Sabur[1] Bankole (born November 14, 1969) is a Nigerian politician and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The son of Abeokuta chief Alani Bankole, he was a businessman before being elected to the House. Elected at age 37,[2] Bankole is the youngest Speaker in the history of the House.[3]

Contents

[edit] Early life, education, and sports

A Muslim[4] Egba,[5] Bankole was born in Abeokuta in what is now Ogun State on November 14, 1969. His parents are Alani Bankole, a businessman, former National Vice Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)[5], Seriki Jagunmolu of Egbaland, and Oluwo Iporo Ake; and his wife Atinuke Bankole, Ekerin Iyalode of Egbaland.[4]


Newspaper Thisday identifies Bankole's education as such: Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta starting 1979; Albany College, London, England starting 1985; University of Reading, Reading, England starting 1989; University of Oxford's Officer Training College, Oxford, England in 1991; and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US in 2005.[4].

All Africa.com reports that he holds a professional certificate in Public Finance from Harvard University, USA. [6].

Bankole states he never went to Sandhurst military academy but only took courses for military officers at Oxford University where he was in the Artillery Corps.[7].

Bankole is a polo player, and is a member of the Lagos Polo Club, where his position is defense.[4] He also enjoys football.[8]

[edit] Business career

Bankole was the Director of Freight Agencies Nigeria Limited from 1995 until 1998, Executive Director of Operations of West African Aluminium Products Limited from 1998 until 2003, and Director of ASAP Limited from 2000 until 2003.[4] He is also an economist.[9]

[edit] Political career

In 2003, Bankole was elected to the House of Representatives on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to represent the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency of Ogun State. He was Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance while Aminu Bello Masari was Speaker,[10] (Farouk Lawan was Chairman of the committee)[9] and was also previously Chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport.[10] Other committees he has sat on are the panels on Defence, Internal Affairs and Banking, and Currency.[8]

Bankole was re-elected in April 2007.[4] He considers his legislative interests to be those related to defence and finance.[11]

[edit] House of Representatives Speakership

In September 2007, a committee questioned Speaker Patricia Etteh about her spending of ₦628 million on home renovation and automobiles. She denied wrongdoing, but many representatives were unhappy with her attempts to defend herself, blows were traded on the floor of the House, and Etteh had to be escorted from the chamber.[12] Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and many top PDP members continued to back her,[13] but a large segment of the party, led by Lawan and including Bankole, called for her resignation.[10] It was reported that Bankole, among multiple other contenders, hoped to succeed her as early as October 5, 2007.[14]

After Etteh's resignation from the post on October 30 (along with her deputy, who was also caught up in the scandal),[15] Integrity Group (anti-Etteh) member Terngu Tsegba became interim speaker.[8] Samson Osagie of Edo State nominated Bankole for the post of Speaker, and Lynda Ikpeazu of Anambra State seconded the proposal. On November 1, he was elected to succeed Etteh.[10] His challenger was Osun State Representative George Jolaoye, whom he beat by 304 votes to 20 (and 4 abstentions). Etteh was among those who voted against Bankole.[2] The new deputy speaker is Bayero Usman Nafada.[10]

On his election, Bankole said "I am taking over the mantle of leadership at a very difficult time. But these are hard times, we need to build confidence again and assure the populace that we are still their representatives. I want an independent house that Nigerians will be proud of, this is my first task."[8]

One week after his election, political opponents claimed that Bankole had not completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service, which is mandatory for all Nigerian university graduates under thirty years of age when they graduate, and called for his resignation over the issue.[16] Bankole provided his NYSC discharge certificate, ending the rumor.[17]

[edit] Emma Skipper Foundation

Bankole established a charity, the Emma Skipper Foundation. Among the tasks the organization has undertaken are giving microcredit loans and awarding scholarships.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Also Saburi.
  2. ^ a b Ojo, James. "Reps get 37-year-old bachelor as speaker", The Sun News On-line, The Sun Publishing, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  3. ^ Bulacan, Annabella. "Nigeria Parliament Elects New Speaker Of The House", AHN, AHN Media, 2007-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Sowunmi, Idowu. "Bankole the Son…", Thisday online, Leaders & Company, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  5. ^ a b Adebayo, Moshood. "Dimeji can’t afford to fail – Father", The Sun News On-line, The Sun Publishing, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  6. ^ "Nigeria: Race for House Speaker - Bankole Leads the Pack", All Africa.com, 2007-11-01. Retrieved on 2008-02-12. 
  7. ^ "Speaker Dimeji Bankole Makes Public His NYSC Discharge Certificate", Nigerian Muse, 2007-11-09. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 
  8. ^ a b c d Shehu, Mohammed S; Nasiru L. Abubakar. "Speakership: How Reps defied PDP", Daily Trust online, 2007-11-03. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. 
  9. ^ a b Nwankwo, Chiawo. "S’West Reps: Jostling for Etteh’s seat", The Punch online, 2007-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  10. ^ a b c d e Ukusanren, Tuoyo. "The man Dimeji Bankole, new Speaker N-Assembly", Vanguard Online Edition, Vanguard Media Limited, 2007-11-02. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  11. ^ Honourable Bankole Dimeji. National Assembly of Nigeria. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
  12. ^ "Nigerian MPs brawl over speaker", BBC News, 2007-09-20. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. 
  13. ^ Nyam, Philip. "Etteh: Countdown To October 16", Leadership, Leadership Newspapers Group. Retrieved on 2007-10-14. 
  14. ^ Sanni, Olusola. "N628m: Who Blinks First?", Nigerian Tribune online, African Newspapers of Nigeria, 1007-10-05. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  15. ^ "Nigeria speaker goes in graft row", BBC News, 2007-10-30. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
  16. ^ Clottey, Peter. "Nigeria Opponents Accuse New Parliament Speaker of Dodging Youth Service", Voice of America news, Broadcasting Board of Governors, 2007-11-08. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. 
  17. ^ "Nigeria’s Reps Speaker Reacts On NYSC Saga", Leadership online, Leadership Newspapers Group. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. 
v • d • e
Speakers of the Nigerian House of Representatives

Jaja Wachuku • Edwin Ume-Ezeoke • Salisu Buhari • Ghali Umar Na'Abba • Aminu Bello Masari • Patricia Etteh • Dimeji Bankole
v • d • e
Nigerian National Assembly delegations from Ogun
Senators
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (PDP), Ramoni Mustapha (PDP), Felix Bamojo (PDP)
Representative(s)
Mustapha Olalekan (PDP), Olusola Ojugbele (PDP), Salako Oladapo (PDP), Anthony Ogunbanjo (PDP), Sowande Abayomi (PDP), Amusan Kayode (PDP), Isiaq Akinlade (PDP), Dimeji Bankole (PDP), Razak Adewusi (PDP)
All delegations
Abia • Adamawa • Akwa Ibom • Anambra • Bauchi • Bayelsa • Benue • Borno • Cross River • Delta • Ebonyi • Edo • Ekiti • Enugu • Gome • Imo • Jigawa • Kaduna • Kano • Katsina • Kebbi • Kogi • Kwara • Lagos • Nasarawa • Niger • Ogun • Ondo • Osun • Oyo • Plateau • Rivers • Sokoto • Taraba • Yobe • Zamfara — Abuja FCT