Despite dissenting voices by Nigerians over the decision of the Senate to take delivery of luxury Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) the Senate has justified the planned purchase of luxury vehicles for lawmakers.
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 the period of four years.
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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 were not been asked.
Karimi said, “Somebody that is a minister has more than three Land Cruisers, Prado and other vehicles and you are not asking them questions, why us?
“These vehicles that you see, go to Nigeria roads today, If I go home once, my senatorial district, I come back spending a lot on my vehicles because our roads are bad.
“I said the decision that we took on using Land Cruiser is the cost and durability.”
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 (SERAP) 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.
