1. Dimeji Bankole was the Action Democratic Party candidate in the 2019 Ogun State gubernatorial election but lost to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dapo Abiodun.
20 Facts About Dimeji Bankole
1. 2.
Dimeji Bankole's father, Alani Bankole, a businessman, was a former National Vice-Chairman and acting Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party and holder of the chieftaincy titles of the Oluwo of Iporo Ake and the Seriki Jagunmolu of Egbaland, and his mother, Atinuke Bankole, was herself the Ekerin Iyalode of Egbaland.
3.
Dimeji Bankole schooled at the Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta starting 1979; and then later proceeded to the Albany College, London, England, in 1985.
4.
In 1989, Dimeji Bankole secured admission to study economics at the University of Reading, England.
5.
Dimeji Bankole topped it off by reading Public Finance Management at the Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, in 2005.
6.
Dimeji Bankole is a polo player, and is a member of the Lagos Polo Club and the Guards Polo Club, Abuja with defence as his preferred position.
7.
An economist, Dimeji Bankole is Chairman, Aspire Integrated Consultants Nigeria and Vice President, Africa House London.
8.
In 2003, Dimeji Bankole was elected to the House of Representatives on the Peoples Democratic Party ticket to represent the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency of Ogun State.
9.
Dimeji Bankole was Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance while Aminu Bello Masari was Speaker, Dimeji Bankole was previously Chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport.
10.
Dimeji Bankole considers his legislative interests to be those related to defence and finance.
11.
Dimeji Bankole 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, but a large segment of the party, led by Lawan and Dimeji Bankole, called for her resignation.
13.
Dimeji Bankole's challenger was Osun State Representative George Jolaoye, whom he beat by 304 votes to 20.
14.
On 22 June 2010 Dimeji Bankole suspended 11 members of parliament indefinitely for disorderliness and fighting in the house.
15.
In 2011, Dimeji Bankole was tried by Nigeria's anti-corruption agency and was cleared of all charges.
16.
The judge while clearing Dimeji Bankole stated that the House of Representatives incurred a loan from a bank to run its expenses, the loan was paid back fully to the bank and Dimeji Bankole was not a beneficiary of the loan in any capacity, therefore, no crime was committed.
17.
Dimeji Bankole divorced his first wife, Olaitan Bankole in 2017.
18.
Dimeji Bankole got married again on 15 January 2021, to Miss Aisha Shinkafi Saidu, according to Islamic rights.
19.
Dimeji Bankole is a lawyer and graduate of the University of Hull in the UK.
20.
Dimeji Bankole is a 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.