Nigerian Entertainer, Banky W, Enters House of Representatives Race

A Nigerian musician, Mr. Olubankole ‘ Banky W’ Wellington yesterday announced his intention to contest federal legislative election on the platform of Modern Democratic Party (MDP).

Olubankole, actor, writer and director known for his advocacy and passion for voters’ education, disclosed that he would contest the race to represent Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2019.

He made the declaration at the convention of theMDP, a political party founded in 2017 by a consortium of youth associations.

The MDP is one political parties whose total number of candidates for the 2019 presidential and national assembly elections are in the single digit bracket. The Modern Democratic Party (MDP) and the Youth Party (YP) have two nominees each for the House of Representatives.

The MDP is led by Prince Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi, a 27 year-old youth activist and entrepreneur. The party along with 21 other parties received their certificate of registration from the INEC last January.

Applauded by friends and associates in Nigeria’s creative industry, Wellington, 37, will run for a seat in the House of Representatives in Eti-Osa where he said there was need for renewed hope and results, just like the rest of Nigeria.

He said, “We want to fix Nigeria, but we must begin by rebuilding our communities. Everybody seems so obsessed with the presidential race – it’s one of the most frequent suggestions I get, ‘Banky W, run for President.’

“I do believe in dreaming big, but I believe in starting small, and working your way up. And so, we are dreaming and building towards 2023 and beyond, but we are starting now. Hope is what we needed in ’93. Twenty-five years later, hope is what we need in 2019.”

Expressing resolute optimism, Wellington said, ‘‘ Our generation needs a realistic rallying point. We need to begin in community, earn our way into the system and up the ladder.

“We need someone to stick their neck out and pave the way. The problem is that we have always looked to our leaders for change. Instead, look in the mirror and look around you. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for all along.