Hon. Dimeji Bankole is one of those political names in Ogun State that refuses to fade. It goes quiet, retreats into the background, then resurfaces, always heavy with pedigree, past power, & unanswered questions. As 2027 approaches, his name is filtering back into conversations. But beyond nostalgia & elite recognition, a more pressing question stares us in the face: how relevant is Dimeji Bankole today, & does he truly have what it takes to ignite a winning gubernatorial movement?
To interrogate his relevance, one must 1st confront the height he once occupied. Bankole was no ordinary politician. Between 2007 & 2011, he served as the 11th Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, at the time, the 4th-ranked citizen in Nigeria. He achieved this at just 38 years old, making him one of the youngest Nigerians ever to preside over such a powerful constitutional office.
Before that, he had already put in 8 solid years as a federal legislator, 4 of which were spent wielding the Speaker’s gavel.
That kind of political résumé does not evaporate. It lingers. It commands respect, especially among power brokers & institutional insiders.
Then there is lineage.
Dimeji Bankole is the son of Chief Alani Bankole, an undisputed Egba political strongman & traditional heavyweight, the Oluwo of Iporo Ake & Apena of Egbaland. These are not decorative titles. They speak to deep-rooted influence within Egba’s political & traditional ecosystem.
In Ogun politics, where heritage still quietly shapes loyalty & legitimacy, that pedigree is no small asset.
Yet pedigree, on its own, has never won elections.
Now 56, Bankole stands at a familiar crossroads. In 2019, he sought the APC gubernatorial ticket & lost to Prince Dapo Abiodun, who went on to become governor. That defeat was defining. Much like his famous father, who himself made multiple attempts at the same office, Bankole retreated once again into political silence. A cocoon. A long one.
This cycle has become his signature: emerge, contest, withdraw, wait.
And therein lies a major problem.
Modern Ogun politics rewards presence, constant visibility, relentless grassroots engagement, endless consultations, burials, weddings, town halls, & political shoulder-rubbing. Bankole’s prolonged absences have allowed others to sink roots deeper into the soil while he maintained an aura of distance. Some interpret this as arrogance; others see a disciplined, no-nonsense personality. But politics runs on perception, & perception has not always been kind to him.
Still, substance cannot be denied. Bankole is intellectually sound, academically top-notch, & unusually well-rounded, with military training added to his résumé. His tenure as Speaker remains one of the most consequential in Nigeria’s legislative history. Under his leadership, the House of Representatives, for the 1st time, returned huge unspent funds to government coffers, a rare act of fiscal restraint that continues to set him apart as a disciplined administrator in a system notorious for excess.
But Ogun State is not the National Assembly.
Politics at Oke-Mosan is more emotional, more local, & more sensitive to rotation. And this is where Bankole’s greatest hurdle lies. He is Egba to the core, unapologetically so. In a state where zoning & turn-taking are taken seriously, this becomes a double-edged sword.
The Yewa axis, in particular, believes strongly that 2027 should deliver the governorship to their zone. Any Egba aspirant, no matter how polished or qualified, must confront this sentiment squarely.
So, can a Dimeji Bankole governorship bid catch fire?
Yes, if he reinvents himself.
Yes, if he reconnects meaningfully with the grassroots.
Yes, if he sheds the image of aloof elitism & builds bridges beyond Egba land.
Without these, his ambition risks becoming another familiar tale: admired, discussed, respected, but ultimately overtaken by candidates who are more visible, more relatable, & more politically hungry.
Dimeji Bankole remains relevant. His name still carries weight. His record still commands attention. His pedigree still resonates. But relevance alone does not win elections.
If he steps into the race again, this would indeed be his 2nd missionary journey. Whether it ends in redemption or repetition will depend on one brutal truth: Ogun has changed, & sentiment, not résumé, will decide 2027.
