The PDP Candidate for Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero/Ekiti Federal Constituency in 2019 and 2023 general elections, Engr. Dare Bankole has resigned from the party.
This development was formally communicated in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the party in Ayedun Ward, dated February 24, 2025.
According to the letter, Bankole cited a mismatch in his personal beliefs and values and those of the party as the reason for his resignation.
Engr. Dare Bankole’s resignation is a major setback for the Kwara State PDP, as it follows a trend of notable members abandoning the party due to widespread impunity and lack of merit within the state chapter and the national.
This trend suggests a deep crisis within the party, with many members losing faith in its leadership and ideals.
The full text of the letter reads below:
“I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from the PDP, effective from 24th February, 2025. This decision has been easy for me but I feel it is necessary due to my disagreement with party policies at National Level.
“I want to express my gratitude to the party and its members for the opportunities and experiences I bave gained during my time as a member and flagbearer to contest the post of House of Representatives in the year 2019 and 2023 general elections. I appreciate the platform the party has provided for me to impact lives positively in my little way possible.
“However, I have come to realize that my personal beliefs and values no longer align with those of the party, I have tried to reconcile these differences but unfortunately, it has not been successful.
“I wish the party and its members all the best in their future endeavors”.
Although Dare Bankole’s next move is unclear, a source close to the politician suggests that he may soon join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The source revealed that Bankole has grown weary of consistently losing with the PDP and now eyeing the APC as the party to beat in the upcoming elections based on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s remarkable achievements.
He reportedly wishes to join the APC and be part of a winning team.
Engr. Dare Bankole’s resignation from the PDP, makes him the fourth National Assembly candidate to have abandoned the party since the 2023 general elections.
Recall that other notable candidates like Wahab Issa, Bolaji Abdullahi, Hassan Oyeleke including the PDP Deputy Governor candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial election, Makanjuola have also dumped the party earlier.
The development further weakens the PDP’s stance, while bolstering the APC’s position, making it stronger by the day.
According to insider sources, the defections from the PDP in Kwara State are reportedly linked to allegations of financial mismanagement, specifically the embezzlement of campaign funds by the state’s PDP Leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
It could be recalled that, Prince Haliru Dantosho Mahmud, the Kwara PDP Youth Leader, who cited Saraki’s mismanagement of campaign funds, released by the national PDP for campaign purposes, had immediately departed the party after dropping the bombshell.