Not minding the current hardship being encountered by Nigerians, the Senate at the weekend rose stoutly in defence of the outrageous N4.7 billion it plans to spend acquiring exotic cars for its members, stating that the vehicles are meant for the execution of committee assignments.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate said the automobiles are part of the necessities which the institution usually provide to committees to enable them function without depending on external bodies for effective performance of oversight functions.
He dismissed the reports by an online medium, Premium Times, which he said is seeking to present the upper legislative body as insensitive for proposing to purchase vehicles for the use of members, stating that “The vehicles are not meant for individual Senators. They are purchased for the use of the committees.
“For those who may want to find out what happened to the ones bought in the past, we cannot expect that after four years, the vehicles will still be in the condition to effectively serve the present committees.
“The best practice in government institutions and even private organizations is for official vehicles allocated to top officials after four years of use to be sold at the depreciated value”, Abdullahi stated.
“We have been very frugal, responsive and responsible in our spendings. We have also cut down on several expenses. However, there are certain expenses and purchases that are normal in government and any organisation generally. The legislature is not an exception.
“With respect to the official vehicles of the Senate President, it should be noted that majority of the vehicles in his convoy are his personal vehicles while some of the vehicles that he inherited, including his official vehicles and the back up car, are so old that they are already developing faults and not fit for long journey.
“We can recall that on several occasions, his official car broke down. Three instances will suffice here. I remember on a visit to Nasarawa state for a wedding of the daughter of a colleague. Other occasions were at the National Mosque three weeks ago and at the Abuja airport.
“The implication is that the vehicles in his official convoy are so old that they are already causing embarrassment for the Senate. The media should know that a man of his antecedent will not at this point be excited with purchase of new cars. His official cars are really long overdue for replacement.
“The media should avoid deliberately portraying the legislature as irresponsible and inciting the people against it. We seek the understanding of the media to explain issues and situations to the people. Both the media and the legislature have different roles to play in sustaining our democracy and none should be seen to be undermining the other”, Aliyu stated.
Premium Times, an online newspaper had at the weekend exclusively reported the discreet plot by the senate to buy various brands of exotic vehicles for use by its President, Bukola Saraki, and the 108 other senators.
The cars, according to the report, will cost taxpayers an estimated N4.7billion that could be spent on vaccinating newborns and save them from dying or on providing electricity for remote communities so kids stop doing school assignments using paraffin lamps.
The upper legislative chamber is buying the vehicles at a time millions of Nigerians are facing severe economic hardship, including nonpayment of salaries.
The procurement is also happening at a time millions of Nigerians are enduring long and humiliating fuel queues across the country because the federal government is too broke to pay importers of petrol several billions in subsidy claims.
Already, the management of the National Assembly has invited bids from contractors interested in supplying the vehicles.
In an advertisement published in some newspapers, including Blueprint of November 20, 2015, the authorities asked the companies to tender for “Lot 1S, Supply of Utility Vehicles”.
The advert, in what appears a deliberate ploy to conceal details, failed to indicate the number, type and specification of vehicles being bought.
However, detailed copies of tender documents being discreetly issued to prospective contractors, obtained by Premium Times, revealed that the Senate indicated it was buying 120 units of Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model.
Other details of the vehicles included that they must be “American Brand, V8, VXR, 5.7, Auto Engine WITH INTELLIGENCE”.
The senators also want the vehicles to come with integrated navigator cruise control, QI-Compatible wireless charging and Kinetic dynamic suspension system, as well as being “full option”.
On November 21, the Senate also put up another advert it labelled “addendum”.
The latest advert under Lot 2S, which was couched to look like an oversight in the first advert, was for the purchase of vehicles for the use of the senate president’s convoy.
Under Lot 2S and based on the tender document, which we have also obtained, the national assembly is seeking to purchase a 2016 model Mercedes Benz S550 for Saraki.
Other vehicles being procured for Saraki include four 2016 Toyota Prado jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux SS (Auto) as well as a 2016 model Toyota Hiace Bus.
A market survey carried out by Premium Times on all the vehicles being bought by the senate showed that the upper chamber would spend over four billion naira of taxpayers money to enhance their taste for luxury.
Specifically, give or take, vehicles are valued at N4.739,515,625.
Although there are 109 senators, the lawmakers are buying 120 Toyota Land-cruisers. It is not clear where the balance of 11 vehicles would go.
“We arrived at our figure of N4.7 billion after computing the cost of the vehicles, 35 per cent duties to be paid, and another 35 per cent levy.
“There is also the expected 35 per cent profit margin to be made by each supplier based on the requirements of Nigeria’s procurement act.
“Our checks revealed that a Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model, goes for $84,000, and at the current exchange rate of N250 to the dollar, it amounts to N21,000,000.
“If 75 per cent of cost is added, being duty, levy and profit margin (translating to N15, 750,000) each vehicle would cost Nigerian tax payers N36,750,000.
“Given that the senators propose to buy 120 units of the vehicles, the total figure is expected to be N4.41billion.
“As for the convoy of the Senate president, we found that Mercedes Benz S550 2016 model goes for $95,650, which translates to N23, 912,500 and addition of 105 percent (duty, levy and profit margin) takes the total cost of the car to N49,020,625.00.
“For the Toyota Prado SUVs, we were able to determine that each unit costs $73,000, which equals N18,250,000, while a 105 per cent addition of levy, duty and profit would put the cost of each at N37,412,500.
“The total cost of the four (4) Prado Jeeps being acquired for Saraki is N149, 650,000.00.,” the report indicated.
Equally proposed for the Senate President’s convoy are four Toyota Hilux SS, Auto vehicles each costing $50,150.
At N250 to the dollar, each Hilux Van would cost N12,537,500 and an additional 75 percent would skyrocket the price of each unit to N25,601, 875.00.
The total figure for the four being proposed amounts to N102,407,500.00
The last vehicle under consideration is a Toyota Hiace Bus 2016 model, which by our findings, goes for $65,000 or N16,250,000 in naira value.
An addition of 105 percent, being duty, levy and profit, put the cost of the bus at N28,437,500.00
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