Ikubese urges political office holders to serve, not enrich themselves

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Former presidential aspirant and convener of the YesWeFit Revolutionary Movement, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, has urged political office holders in Nigeria to use their positions to serve the people rather than as avenues for personal enrichment.

Ikubese made the remarks while appearing as a guest on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast current affairs programme on Channels Television, monitored in Akure, Ondo State.

Speaking on why he has not been as visible in national discourse in recent times, Ikubese said he has been “building capacity behind the scenes.”

Reflecting on his 2019 efforts to rally young Nigerians for political change, he noted that some of his peers eventually accepted government appointments. He, however, said he was not disappointed, explaining that people enter politics for different reasons.

“Some go into politics for visibility, as a stepping stone to the next level, while others go into politics for money and influence. However, the true purpose of occupying a political office should be to positively affect the lives of citizens,” he said.

Ikubese emphasized that political office is not meant to benefit only friends or family but the society at large. “Before you take up a political appointment, you should ask yourself if you can positively impact the lives of the people with that office. If the answer is yes, then you can go ahead and take it up,” he said.

He further warned that if an officeholder finds themselves unable to act in the best interest of citizens due to constraints, they should resign. “If one remains in office and serves without positively affecting society, such a person is a disappointment to destiny and an enemy of the Nigerian state,” Ikubese asserted.

He concluded by urging political office holders to view themselves as servants, not masters, and to ensure that their positions are used for societal benefit rather than to loot the nation’s resources.

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