₦‎160 Billion SUVs: House of Reps Receive Luxury Jeeps, Senators Await Theirs, Ignoring Public Anger

The National Assembly has begun the distribution of imported Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to its members, despite the public backlash over the decision. The SUVs, which include bulletproof ones for the principal officers, are said to cost billions of naira.

According to the PUNCH, the House of Representatives members have started taking delivery of their SUVs, while the senators will receive theirs this week. The last batch of the vehicles is expected to arrive before December.

The purchase of the SUVs has been widely condemned by Nigerians, who accused the lawmakers of being insensitive to the economic hardship and infrastructural decay in the country. Some civil society groups have also challenged the legality and morality of the decision in court.

The Human Rights Writers Association described the procurement of SUVs for federal lawmakers as provocative and irresponsible at a time when most Nigerians could barely afford basic necessities.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking to stop the National Assembly from taking delivery of the exotic and bulletproof cars.

However, the Senate defended its action, saying that the lawmakers needed the vehicles for their legislative functions. The spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, confirmed that some members had received their vehicles and explained the criteria for the allocation.

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.”

A source in the House, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the management had warned the members not to sell their vehicles as they were National Assembly property. The source said that the Speaker had insisted on accountability and transparency in the purchase and distribution of the vehicles.

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.”

Another source said that the vehicles would arrive in three batches for the use of the committee chairmen and members. The source said that despite the controversy and criticism, the vehicles were meant to aid the lawmakers in performing their duties.

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Ilesanmi Adekanbi

Ilesanmi Adekanbi, writers and loves writing the story of politics, He is a movie addict. Adekanbi is a Senior Content Creator at Newsflash Nigeria contact me on email: [email protected]

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