Ministers Have Three SUVs, Senate Justifies Luxury Vehicles For Members

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

The Senate has justified the planned purchase of luxury vehicles for lawmakers despite dissenting voices in the last few days.

Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Services, Sunday Karimi, said that the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly decided to buy the luxury cars for lawmakers because of durability and maintenance for four years.

He further stated that Nigerians were picking on lawmakers but ignoring ministers.

According to him, some ministers have more than three Land Cruisers, Prado and other vehicles and questions are not asked.

This comes days after public outcry trailed the disclosure that members of the House of Representatives were set to take delivery of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) valued at 160 million naira each.

Last Friday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the lawmakers from taking delivery of the SUVs pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organisation.

The group’s applications for interim and interlocutory injunction followed reports that members of the House of Representatives are set to procure and take delivery of SUVs valued at N57.6 billion. According to reports, each of the SUVs would cost about N160 million.