Lagos 2015: Why Ambode cannot be imposed on Lagos – Ikuforiji, House Speaker

IF election is conducted tomorrow, what are your
chances?

Concerning my chances, there is no doubt that I will win on a landslide if primary election is conducted today in the APC. I am very sure that most of our party men are very interested in seeing Lagos governed by a man who understands party politics and who is passionate about the development of Lagos and its people. They know that as at today, there is nobody that can compete favourably against Ikuforiji as far as that is concerned.

Shackles and chains of poverty

Adeyemi Ikuforiji

Honestly, I am a lucky man. From my very humble background, I have been able to break shackles and chains of poverty. I have liberated myself and I know the journey has been relatively tough, but with God, everything has been made possible.

What are the things that are wrong that you would want to rectify as governor?

I want to assure you that within 18 months after I am elected and I assume office on May 29, 2015, you will ask yourself again, what was amiss before now. There are many things we have left undone. I am a product of public schooling, but how many of us are really happy to send our children to public primary school today? I want everyone here to be jostling to get their wards to Lagos State public schools even within the next three years and it can be done.

What’s your reaction to speculations that one of the governorship aspirants, Akinwumi Ambode has been endorsed by the leaders of the party?

Ambode was just a civil servant here yesterday. When did he join the party? When? Who will impose Ambode? You can’t impose Ambode. There are many reasons Ambode cannot be imposed and when we get to the river, we know how to cross it.

On the issue of imposition or no imposition, let me be very clear about it. A lot of rumours are going the rounds, and each and every candidate has been tagged with the support of one leader or the other except Ikuforiji. But a year and a half ago, someone told me one of the aspirants already had the nod of the leaders; they said he was the one Asiwaju Bola Tinubu wanted to use.

Support of one leader

I pushed them aside because I knew it was a rumour and it was not possible. After about 10 weeks or so, that particular name disappeared from the scene. Another one came up and after about two months again, that one also disappeared, yet another came up.

I can assure you that some of the names that came up of recent cannot even go to Bourdillion to face Asiwaju and say they want to run. Yet, they tell people that Asiwaju has asked them to get prepared for the job. Do you tell people to get prepared with the words of mouth? You don’t get prepared for the job of governor of Lagos in just a few days. We should just leave some of these stories for what they are. To me, they don’t exist.

What is your relationship with Asiwaju Tinubu and the incumbent governor and are they supportive of your ambition?

I am sure everybody knows that I have very close relationship with the two of them. In fact, Governor Fashola while in Dubai called me and after he landed today he called me again. It is this meeting with you that stopped me from meeting with the governor.

Are they aware of your ambition?

They are very much in the know.

In the event, you miss the ticket what would you do?

Well, I am a politician and I am not that politician that sees a particular office as a do-or-die.

How have you been able to escape the banana peel as the longest serving speaker in Nigeria?

It’s very simple. Number one thing, you need the grace of God. You also really need to be selfless. You need to know your onions better than anybody else. Look, you must put others before yourself. You know the Lord says love your neighbours as thyself, but in this game, you must love your neighbour more than thyself. If you have N100,000, it must go round the 40 lawmakers.

What do you have to say on zoning?

Asiwaju came from this zone, from this my constituency, Ikeja and Fashola is from Surulere, that is west and central senatorial districts respectively.

Lagos East has been producing speaker since 1999. I started the fight for zoning. In fact, it was in Ikorodu at one of the meetings that I said look, that we have held the legs and everything of the lion for our party to enjoy because when you keep the House, I mean the Legislature in order, then government can run smoothly.

Smooth running of government

The East has done that since 1999, it is time for them to allow the East to be the one with the spoon to dish the food to others.

And of course, I told Asiwaju also when we were discussing about some of these things. So, don’t make a mistake when people started saying it is Epe’s turn. They were not talking of East again, they are mentioning specifically Epe. Do you know why they were saying it is Epe’s turn? It’s because they know you have a loyal and capable son in Epe.

It is not all these new-found sons, but the one they knew, that is the speaker of the House. That is why people are saying it is Epe’s turn.

It is not just anybody now or people who have no shame. They have even said it that after this one no more zoning, but of course this one has been zoned.