NLC demands that senators return the 108 new SUVs they bought or face a showdown

NIGERIAN Labour Congress (NLC) officials have warned members of the senate to return the 108 Toyota Land Cruiser sports utility vehicles (SUV) they recently purchased for themselves or face the wrath of the people.

 

Despite the austere times currently in the currently, Nigeria's National Assembly appears immune to the belt tightening as it currently accounts for about 3% of the annual budget. Last week, senators orders brand new SUV's for their personal use, saying the vehicles were necessary for them to carry out their constitutional duties.

 

However, the NLC has condemned the purchases at a time when the Nigerian people are facing excruciating economic pains and hardship. NLC President Ayuba Wabba, said that the purchase of the cars was wrong and insensitive in the face of the suffering of the masses.

 

Mr Wabba added: “We consider as appalling, insensitive and greedy the decision of the senate to acquire 108 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, one for each member, except the senate president after collecting car loans in August last year for the same purpose. It is equally morally despicable and shameful that they are doing this after publicly admitting that the standing committees of the senate are unable to perform their statutory functions due to the paucity of funds.

 

"The NLC observed that the temerity of the senate to go ahead with the purchase of the 108 Toyota SUVs after pocketing the car loans amounted to a criminal act calculated to short change the nation. We at the NLC equally consider it a wilful and grievous criminal act, the inflation of the unit cost of each of the cars by over a 100%, as each car supposedly cost N35.1m instead of N17m."

 

He added that  Nigerians are keen to know from where they got the money for the purchase of these cars without appropriation. According to Mr Wabba, the defence offered by the senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, is laughable and childish.

 

Senator Abdullahi had said: “Special advisers in the presidency use SUVs, why not senators or do Nigerians expect them to trek to work? And in any case, cars are capital projects.”

 

According to Mr Wabba, the money spent on the cars could have been put to better use such as for constituency projects. He asked whether at a time of severe economic challenges and deepening poverty in the land, can the Senate afford this level of reckless luxury and arrogance.