The move by the leadership of the House of Representatives to procure “operational vehicles” for lawmakers has continued to generate controversies. In this report SAMSON BENJAMIN examines the criticisms surrounding the decision
The House of Representatives recently resolved to acquire Toyota Camry 2020 model, otherwise referred to as utility vehicles, for members as official cars. The Punch reported that the resolution was reached at an executive (closed-door) session.
It stated that a source in the chamber, who spoke on condition of anonymity as members were forbidden from disclosing details of the discussions at the closed door meeting, said the National Assembly would purchase 400 exotic cars even as the lawmaker has kept mum on the cost of each car.
A check on the website of Toyota showed that the price of the car, depending on the variants, is between $25,000 (N9,000,000 at N360 to a dollar) and $35,000 (N12,600,000), excluding the cost of shipping, import duty which is 70 per cent of the net cost and other clearing charges and taxes at the port.
For instance, those with higher specifications, as the National Assembly usually goes for higher range of vehicles, are XLE at $29,455; XLE V6 at $34,580; XSE at $30,005 and XSE V6 at $35,130.
The Punch also reported that at the meeting, the lawmakers were said to have rejected Nigerian brands, insisting on foreign ones, preferably imported and not locally assembled.
The lawmaker said a proposal to patronise Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing, a Nigerian brand based in Nnewi, Anambra state, was rejected. The lawmaker said, “It is Toyota Camry 2020. Manga will supply 300 of the vehicles. The person who supplied the Senate will supply the remaining 100. Someone suggested Innoson. I feel he was being sarcastic. He is from Anambra.” Already, no fewer than 14 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeeps were said to have already been shared out to the presiding and principal officers as well as chairmen of select House committees.
Giving the breakdown of how the vehicles would be shared out, the source said the 400 saloon cars would be allocated to each of the 360 members and some top management staff, chiefs of staff to the two presiding officers as well as some of their special advisers and assistants.
Another member of the House, who also declined to be named, said some of the vehicles had been supplied while new members who did not get committee appointments would be the beneficiaries of the first batch.
SERAP, others kick
Apparently dissatisfied with the move by the Femi Gbajabiamila led House of Representatives, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 192 concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to “restrain and stop Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and all members of the House from spending an estimated N5.04 billion on purchasing 400 exotic cars for principal officers and members.”
SERAP is also seeking a court order to “restrain and stop the National Assembly Service Commission from releasing any public funds to the House of Representatives to buy 400 2020 model cars estimated to cost $35,130 per vehicle, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public services and goods like education, security, health and clean water, is carried out.”
In the suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/205/2020, SERAP and the concerned Nigerians led by their lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, argue that, “Members of the House of Representatives are either unaware of the constitutional and statutory provisions on their fiduciary duties and judicious use of public funds or deliberately glossing over these provisions.
“Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry. All those who hold the strings of political power and power over spending of Nigeria’s commonwealth have a duty to answer for their conduct when called upon to do so by Nigerians.
“It is illegal and unconstitutional for members of the House of Representatives to choose to buy expensive and exotic cars while encouraging Nigerians to tighten their belts and to patronise Nigerian brands. It is also illegal for members to reject cheaper and equally reliable options.
“If the members of House of Representatives take their duties to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged among us seriously, including their duties to judiciously spend public funds, they would not have voted to spend over $35,000 per car, especially given the current economic and financial realities of Nigeria.”
The plaintiffs are also asking the court to determine “Whether the proposed plan and resolution by the House of Representatives to buy 400 exotic cars for principal officers and members amounting to over N5 billion in total, is not in breach of Section 57(4) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the oath of office, and Paragraph 1 of Code of Conduct for Public Officers (Fifth Schedule Part 1) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended).” No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
NASS’ extravagance culture
Speaking on the issue, the Executive Director Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Taiwo Otitolaiye, told Blueprint Weekend that the lawmakers have not learnt anything. He also condemned what he described as “a culture of extravagance” by the national assembly.
He said, “This culture of wastage of public funds and extravagant lifestyle by our lawmakers must be condemned by all who mean well for Nigeria, especially the CSOs community. 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.
“In December 2015, a plan by the lawmakers to buy cars worth N4.7 billion despite the harsh economic difficulty the country faced at the time. Although the report sparked nationwide outrage, the lawmakers went ahead with the procurement.
“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.
“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.”
He said further that, “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. Also, the 9th Senate in 2019 allegedly bought official cars for principal officers and committee chairmen worth N5.5billion. When will all these waste of public resources in the face of wallowing poverty end?”
Made-in-Nigeria cars
Similarly, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, expressed displeasure over the decision members of to buy foreign cars as utility vehicles, after rejecting an initial proposal to patronise local car makers like Innoson Motors.
Onuesoke, who condemned the action of the lawmakers while speaking to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, disclosed that if our federal lawmakers do not trust made in Nigeria cars or promote and patronise locally assembled products, then any of them do not have the moral right to ask Nigerians to buy locally made products.
The former Delta state governorship aspirant who described the lawmakers action as “unpatriotic,” said “if they can make laws banning importation of products made in Nigeria, then what prevents them from patronising vehicles made-in-Nigeria as official cars.”
The PDP stalwart stated that he does not have any problem with the lawmakers acquiring frivolous asset to their undeserved duties, but expected them to be patriotic about it.
He said, “What is wrong with patronising Innoson motors after all he also has the same brand and luxury as Toyota. This country is a season movies. I wonder how our economy would grow with this set of individuals who cannot patronise a product made in their country and they will still be the one advertising to the nation on the need to patronise made-in-Nigeria products. Who do they think they are fooling? They don’t create jobs. Those who finally do, they don’t support, neither promote them. It’s such a pity.
He called on Nigerians to speak out against the unpatriotic antics of the federal lawmakers “because if the lawmakers are made to invest in the local firm it will not only reduce unemployment, but it will also trickle down to growth of our local businesses.”
“This is democracy in Nigeria style. There are no good roads, no electricity, no security, no jobs, poor dilapidated schools and N30, 000 minimum wage that is if they get paid. Yet, the lawmakers are spending the poor tax payer’s money in purchasing expensive exotic imported vehicles as official cars. They banned the poor masses from eating imported rice, but they cannot ban themselves from importing imported cars. Therefore, it behoves on Nigerians to do the right thing by buying Nigerian cars. If lawmakers cannot do this, then who will?”
He advised the lawmakers to emulate members of Anambra state House of Assembly for towing the line of South-east and South-south governors in patronising Innoson Motors home products.
Nigerians react
In the meantime, Nigerians who spoke with Blueprint Weekend are enraged about the development. Joseph Idoko, a taxi driver, said, “The borders are closed because they want us to patronise Nigerian products and NASS wants to import 400 exotic cars; not INNOSON. I’m 95 per cent sure that in the houses of all politicians none of them have a grain of Nigerian rice in them.
Akoke Alabi, a hairdresser, expressed a similar opinion, saying the move by the federal lawmakers “is a huge letdown to the Nigerian people.” According to her, “Foreigners are not buying Nigerian cars and they might never do. Therefore, it behooves Nigerians to do the right thing by buying Nigerian cars…if lawmakers cannot do this, then who will?”
However, Success Adams, an IT specialist, said the brand is simply overvalued and overrated, which is possibly why it is often overlooked a lot by Nigerians. “Truth be said, Innoson is overvalued and over rated. I trust Nigerians; we will buy if their prices are not outrageous. Look at KIA motors when they came to Nigeria, you could buy a brand new car for 1million naira or less,” he said.
Lawmakers defend action
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has said that the outrage of the SERAP and other Nigerians over the approved 400 Toyota Camrys for the legislators is misplaced and better directed at the over 400 parastatal of the executive.
The spokesman of the House, Benjamin Kalu, in a statement issued on Wednesday, insisted that considering the state of Nigerian roads, which he said the executive is responsible for fixing, SUVs and not saloon cars or Camrys, should be approved for use by legislators in their official duties.
He said, “While it is understandable that the legislature, being the closest arm of government to the people has to bear the brunt of their frustrations at the executive arm of government, we must take care that our bias against the legislature does not become a grand act of self-sabotage.
“I would also go further as to say that considering the state of Nigerian roads (which the executive is responsible for fixing by the way) SUVs and not saloon cars or Camrys, should be approved for use by legislators in their official duties.”
Kalu noted that describing official vehicles for legislators as luxury “is a misconception,” while lamenting that Nigerians “easily lose sight of the importance and utilitarian value of the legislature whenever they relish that red-hot chilly stew of sweet outrage at government.”
He said all ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, assistant directors and management level staff of the 42 ministries and 400 parastatal of the executive arm, with its over 15,000 nationwide offices are routinely given official vehicles; not to mention the 180 judges and justices of the federal judiciary along with their senior level staff who are entitled to official vehicles including SUVs.
The House spokesman stressed that the legislature carries out an important duty of oversight as mandated by Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution. He said this singular duty routinely exposes the corruption and inefficiencies of the executive often amounting to trillions of naira, the very inefficiencies which create the dissatisfaction of Nigerians with government.
