Ifeoma Ofili, a director in the National Assembly and former Clerk of the House Committee on Local Content, has openly spoken out about systemic corruption plaguing the legislature — a reality many have long known but few in the assembly system dared to confirm.
Speaking at a retreat organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja on June 27, but which details are just coming out, Ofili made damning allegations against federal lawmakers, accusing them of accepting bribes, manipulating reports, and diverting funds meant for staff welfare. Her remarks, captured in a viral video, have sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny on legislative accountability.
Approaching retirement herself, Ofili said she is no longer afraid of the consequences of speaking out. “My mother used to say, ‘I dance not for money but so that I can be seen.’ I will say what needs to be said,” she concluded.
According to Ofili, legislators frequently receive bribes during oversight visits to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). These kickbacks, she said, often come in the form of cash, accommodations, and airline tickets — perks provided by the very institutions lawmakers are supposed to oversee.
“You go there, they tell you what to write, they give you money, lodge you, fly you, and then members fight over the money,” she stated. “But the clerks or committee assistants receive nothing. Worse still, we’re made to write reports on events we never witnessed. As a Catholic, I just go to confession first.”
Ofili also criticized the integrity of public hearing reports, claiming many are written by consultants who never attended the hearings. In one instance, she resisted pressure to work with an external writer, insisting on submitting her own report. “I typed my report myself and submitted it. If they want to alter it, they can — but the original is in my system,” she said.
She further alleged that budget allocations intended for staff training, healthcare, and welfare are often misappropriated by lawmakers. These funds, she claimed, are quietly funneled into ambiguous budget lines with no oversight or accountability.
“Lawmakers go on television to denounce MDAs for misconduct, but who holds them accountable for what happens inside the National Assembly?” she asked. “We don’t even follow proper budgeting procedures. Staff allowances are collapsed into other votes and misused. We can’t speak out because of the oath of secrecy.”
Ofili painted a grim picture of the conditions faced by National Assembly staff — particularly retirees, some of whom wait years for their entitlements and end up begging former colleagues for money to meet basic needs.
“They’re not only taking what belongs to them — they’re taking ours too,” she said. “We are citizens before we are staff, and yet we are silenced.”
