Nigeria Content Online

Prominent
indigenes of Ogun State, where Dimeji Bankole, the speaker of the House
of Representatives hails from, say they are “solidly behind” him as he
faces corruption allegations and a house beset by crisis. In a letter
addressed to Mr. Bankole, the Abeokuta club, which has as members, top
scholars, politicians and traditional chiefs from the area, said its
members have followed developments in the House of Representatives
where the speaker is accused of corruption, and promised him of its
members’ support.

“I write to let you
know that the entire membership of our club is solidly behind you in
the ongoing controversy in the House of Representatives,” reads the
letter, signed by the group’s acting president, Afolabi Soyode, who is
the former Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun state.
“We are following very closely the development, and how, in particular,
the majority of members, with you leading, have tried to show that
minority rule through force, violence and coercion should not be the
order of the day in our democracy.”

‘Remain steadfast’

The group’s grand
patron is the Alake of Egbaland, and has former president, Olusegun
Obasanjo; former Head of Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan,
and former first republic premier of the Western region, Moses
Majekodunmi, as its vice patrons. Mr. Obasanjo, who met a week ago with
the House speaker at the Lagos International airport, later denied
media reports that the two discussed issues related to the
controversies in the house where 11 members were suspended for calling
for the removal of Mr. Bankole over corruption allegations.

The letter, dated June 25, 2010, was dispatched to Mr. Bankole by
the Abeokuta Club few days after the violent session of the house
during which the members were suspended and later dragged out with
clothes torn. Some of the suspended lawmakers, last Friday, instituted
a legal challenge of the House decision, and have asked to be
reinstated. The club advised Mr. Bankole to be “steadfast” and assured
him of its members’ “prayers and best wishes.” “We hope at the end of
the day that the investigations would demonstrate that you are a man of
integrity in whom all Nigerians can be justifiably proud,” the letter
concluded.