The leadership of the National Assembly has begun moves to procure
operational vehicles for the lawmakers that make up its dual legislative
chambers.
It was learned yesterday that meetings in that regard started among
presiding officers in the Senate even before the apex legislative body
embarked on its eight-week recess, which ends on September 24, 2019.
A National Assembly official confirmed the meetings on condition of
anonymity, saying the cost of the cars would be deducted from
lawmakers’ allowances.
He hinted that the preferred brand being considered for senators is Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
The Bukola Saraki-led Eighth Senate spent not less than N4 billion
at that time to purchase the brand at a cost of N36 million. Two extra
cars were also bought.
With the estimated current price of the vehicle now N50 million,
the Senate might need about N5.550 billion to get enough quantity for
its members, and two additional vehicles.
The chamber has always maintained that the cars are not for the
luxury cravings of individual senators but to enhance the operations of
committees.
It was learned that the cars would be meant specifically for all
chairmen and vice-chairmen of Senate committees. But with the Senate now
having 69 of such committees, the stage appears set for every member to
be appointed as either chairman or vice-chairman.
About N1.3 billion was expended on procuring vehicles for senators
in 2012, a development that attracted severe public criticism. At the
time, 109 cars were bought for the lawmakers, each costing N11. 07
million.
Senate spokesman, Adedayo Adeyeye, could not be reached for
comments as he failed to pick his calls. He did not reply to text
messages either.
The management of the National Assembly was also silent on the
alleged abuse of the Procurement and Monetisation Acts following
accusations that fairly used vehicles and property were sold at
give-away prices to former lawmakers.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Muhammed Sani Omolori, did not respond to calls for comments.
Some of the items sold to members of the Eighth Senate and House of
Representatives at scandalous prices include Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs
and office equipment such as computers, photocopiers, and refrigerators.
The management reportedly sold the SUVs, which had been bought for
between N24 million and N26 million each, to the departing lawmakers at a
paltry N1 million.
It was also said to have received only N360,000 from the lawmakers
for a set consisting of two televisions, a photocopier, desktop
computers, and a big refrigerator.
All the items handed almost freely to the legislators would
apparently be purchased afresh and supplied to members of the Ninth
Assembly inaugurated on June 11, 2019.
It was however learned that the cost of the new computers,
scanners, photocopying machines, television sets, and refrigerators
would be deducted from the severance package of the retiring
legislators.
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has assured
Nigerians that the Ninth National Assembly will provide an enabling
environment for the implementation of the ‘Next Level’ agenda of the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was contained in a statement released yesterday by Omo-Agege’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Yomi Odunuga.
Odunuga said the Deputy Senate President gave the assurance when he
visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State to
felicitate with him on the Eid-el Kabir celebrations.
“Going forward, the National Assembly is ready to provide the
enabling environment for the contents of the next level agenda to be
implemented,” Omo-Agege was quoted as saying.
He added: “No doubt, ministers-designate were carefully
selected before their nomination by Mr. President. We have full faith
and confidence in Mr. President’s judgment in the selection process.
“Our job at the Senate is to ensure that all nominees meet the
constitutional requirements for membership of the Federal Executive
Council (FEC), which are very simple. So, to a lot of us, it was a
checklist: the moment we found out that you are a Nigerian citizen, you
are a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you were cleared.
“You meet the basic educational qualification, which is
education up to school certificate level; and you should not have been
convicted of a crime within the last 10 years. We went through that. We
relied on the confidence and capacity of Mr. President to do the right
thing, which he has done.”