Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, asserted that he never illicitly obtained any money from public funds, apart from what he was legitimately entitled to in his official capacity.
During an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, Ikuforiji, the former Speaker, emphasized his unwavering commitment to integrity during his tenure. He expressed his disappointment with the prevailing lack of trust Nigerians have in their political leaders.
He stated, “It is sad that the general populace will elect people into office and expect that everyone they elect only goes there to steal from the public.”
Ikuforiji highlighted that leaders are not sourced from distant places like the moon but instead emerge from within the people themselves.
“Those who brought up the video did it on purpose to tarnish the image of the House of Reps and the National Assembly members, just to make the representatives look bad before the people,” he said.
During his tenure, Ikuforiji stated that he underwent a comprehensive investigation by the anti-graft agency for over three months, but no wrongdoing was uncovered.
“The one who led the search said this is the neatest and tidiest books he has ever found in any government department since he started working for the agency, he noted.
Ikuforiji emphasized the importance of Nigerians reassessing their views on leaders, highlighting the need for elected officials to be held accountable and held to higher standards.
He said, “We all have our problems, and it is a national one. There’s a need to look at our value system and revalue it.”
He urged the public to recognize that not all officeholders have intentions to embezzle funds, using his own case as an example to illustrate that certain allegations are fabricated. He further expressed that there are still honest leaders among them. He addressed larger concerns affecting Nigeria, such as the decline in food production and the necessity for the country to revive its agricultural heritage.
“We just want to import, and that cannot help this nation,” he said, advocating for a return to the agricultural practices of 40-50 years ago to reinvent society,” he added.
Ikuforiji is optimistic about Nigeria’s future under the current administration and looks forward to a better country.
