Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has criticized members of the National Assembly for their plan to purchase 469 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) at the rate of N160 million each.
Oguntoyinbo argued that such a plan demonstrates the insensitivity of lawmakers to the current suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
He made these declarations in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Friday.
Recall that Chairman, Senate Committee on Services, Sunday Karimi has said that there is nothing bad in the purchase of 469 cars for members of the National Assembly.
But, Oguntoyinbo, in the statement said that he was surprised that the lawmakers are insensitive.
He said, “Many Nigerians are unable to feed themselves. Many are dying daily as a result of poverty. Many school children are dropping out of schools due to the current high inflation rate. It is sad that our senators are thinking and behaving as if they are not living in Nigeria. They are behaving as if the plights of Nigerians is not their problem. They are highly insensitive and immorally unconscious of the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“If they are sensitive, will they be talking of cars costing billions of Naira when the exchange rate of Naira to dollar is unarguably embarrassing. It is also sad that many of our national legislators are justifying the purchase of the SUVs at such an exorbitant rate on bad roads across the length and breadth of the country.
“That cannot be a justification; the bad roads signs that they are not doing well in government. We need to ask them, whose duty is it to provide good roads if not for the Federal Government, of which Senator is part of.
“The development has also shown that our senators and House of Representatives members hardly go back to their constituencies to feel their situation once they are elected.”