Amid spiralling criticisms, federal lawmakers, already receiving N8 million as Senators (Representatives get a little lower) as approved allowances to get cars for themselves, are going ahead to begin to get luxury N140 million Toyota Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) each for what they termed official cars, to be used, among others for oversight functions.
The personal car allowance is also outside nearly N30 million that each House of Representatives member will get for their offices, a monthly take-home pay, among other perquisites of officer, like furniture and housing allowances. Senators collect nearly N40 million quarterly to run their office outside other perquisites of office.
In th determination to get the official cars, the Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, Senator Sunday Karimi, put up a dismal show in his desperation to defend the purchases, as lawmakers and National Assembly senior staff faulted his appearance on Channels Television, since he is not the spokesman of the Upper Legislstive house. A clip of what some describe as a show of shame and incoherence is already viral on social media. See viral video below:
Meanwhile, according to Sahel Standard, an online newspaper, lawmakers in the Green Chamber (House of Representatives, have started taking delivery of their Sports Utility Vehicles according to a report by Sahel Standard.
Similarly, legislators in the Red Chamber will receive the first batch of the SUVs this week.
It was also gathered that the last tranche of the SUVs for use by the lawmakers would arrive before December.
Recall that the leadership of the National Assembly had announced the decision to purchase imported SUVs for each lawmaker and bulletproof vehicles for the principal officers.
The move has generated heavy criticism, with some citizens lampooning the parliamentarians for being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians amid the high cost of living.
The Human Rights Writers Association earlier criticised the move, stating that procuring SUVs for federal lawmakers was provocative at a time when most families could barely feed their members three square meals per day, and hospitals and roads were collapsing rapidly across the country.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the National Assembly from procuring and taking delivery of exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organisation.
But the Senate defended the purchase of the SUVs, saying lawmakers needed the vehicles for their operations.
The spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, told our correspondent that members of the House had started taking delivery of the vehicles.
He also noted that priority was given to female lawmakers and people with disabilities, and much emphasis was laid on people without pending court cases.
Rotimi said, “Some members have started taking delivery of their vehicles. Priority was given to women in the parliament, people with any form of disability and the elderly.
“The management has also ensured that only members who have been fully disposed of their court cases will be given the vehicles to avoid problems.”
Corroborating this, a member of the Green Chamber, who pleaded anonymity, noted that the management was very keen on members justifying the use of the vehicle for their legislative operations.
The source noted that the management had issued a circular to members not to sell any of the vehicles, stating clearly that it was the property of the National Assembly.
The source said, “This particular Assembly is very particular about things being done right. In previous assemblies, people would collect their vehicles and sell them off, but the Speaker has put his foot down against such.
“The spokesperson was mandated to issue a statement internally to members and ensure that no member must sell their vehicles as they are National Assembly property.
“Beyond the circular, the management is seriously following up, particularly to justify the purchase, because the vehicles were bought to give lawmakers a level of autonomy from the executive.”
According to top-level sources, the vehicles will arrive in three batches for the use of the committee chairmen and members.
Another source stated that although the vehicles had generated a lot of controversy and public discussions, they were to aid the lawmakers in performing their duties.
● Additional report by Sahel Standard.