PDP CLEARS SPEAKER BANKOLE'S OPPONENTS FOR POLLS

By NBF News

By Kolade Larewaju
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Assembly Appeal Screening Committee has cleared former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly; Mrs. Titi Oseni and two others who were earlier disqualified ending speculations that Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Dimeji Bankole would get the party ticket without any opposition.

The Screening Committee has disqualified Oseni, a current member of the Assembly representing, Mr. Fasiu Bakenne and a legal practitioner; Dr. Yemi Oke from participating in the primaries, While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, Governor Olugbenga Daniel, his Deputy, Alhaja Salmot Badru, Senators Iyabo-Obasanjo- Bello and Lekan Mustapha, Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor, Mr. Waliu Taiwo others scaled the hurdles.

The five man-panel led by General A.B Mamman (rtd) had during the two day exercise screened 46 aspirants contesting seats in the Federal House of Representatives and 17 senatorial aspirants.

Mrs. Oseni, one of the G-11 lawmakers believed to be loyalists of Governor Daniel was disqualified on the allegation that 'she was the root cause of the problem in Ogun State' based on the fact that she was impeached and suspended from the Assembly.

Bakenne, another member of the G-11, Vanguard gathered was disqualified on the grounds that he was 'guilty of conduct unbecoming of an honorable member of the State House of Assembly and that his conduct and actions had brought the party and government ridicule and public condemnation.'

Oke was not cleared by the screening committee despite the fact that no petition was written against him but he was said to have 'failed to use his superior knowledge of the law to advise the party properly thereby orchestrating the crisis in the party, using his position as a lawyer to destabilize the party and caused disunity contrary to desirable qualities and code of conduct guiding party members.'

But the Appeal Screening Committee after receiving protest letters from the affected aspirants Monday cleared them to participate in the National Assembly primaries scheduled to hold on Wednesday in the State.

One of the newly cleared aspirants; Mr. Fasiu Bakenne who spoke with Vanguard Monday in Abeokuta expressed joy that 'truth has prevailed' adding that it was more honorable for an aspirant to be defeated at the polls than being prevented from contesting for no offence committed.