Despite Initial Denial, 107 Senators Secretly Take Delivery Of N36.5m SUV Each

All 107 Senators in the country have taken delivery of Land Cruiser SUVs worth N36.5 million each, The Eagle Online reports.

The total cost of the vehicles for the 107 senators comes to N3.905 billion.

The Senate had last year April purchased 36 SUVs, ‎which were said to be for the use of committees.

Reacting to the purchase of the SUVs then, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Services, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, said the cars were purchased at N36.5 million and that only 36 were bought. ‎

Gobir had also claimed that the Jeeps were meant for the oversight functions of committees of the Senate.

He had said: “First, I would like to say that the issue that we bought 108 cars is totally wrong.

“It is not correct.

“We bought 36 cars.

“These 36 cars because each senator in each state is either a Chairman or a Vice Chairman and we gave one car to each state.‎”

According to The Eagle Online, all the 107 senators have secretly taken delivery of their Land Cruiser Jeeps.

A source said one of the senators was initially reluctant to pick the car in view of the outcry that trailed it initially.

The senator was later persuaded by his colleagues to pick it up.

The controversial Jeep seized by the Nigeria Customs Service over failure to pay duties is believed to be the one meant for the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
The Senate has 108 members.

Report says effort to get clarification from the media aides of the President of the Senate proved abortive as they were not forthcoming.

The spokesman of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, could not be reached between Sunday and Thursday morning for comments.

The head of Saraki’s media team, Yusuph Olaniyonu, did not respond to both voice calls and text messages to his mobile number.

Bamikole Omisore, who is in charge of Saraki’s social media, responded to a text message on Sunday, promising to come back with the official position.

However, Omisore on Thursday morning said he could not reach any of the Senate management staff.

He said: “Management on retreat in Kogi.

“They are in the best position to answer.

“We only answer to Saraki.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had in December 2015 opposed the proposal by the Senate to buy cars for the lawmakers.

Buhari’s opposition was based on the fact that the lawmakers collect car loans and as such should not be entitled to cars purchased for them gratis by the government at the same time.

He said during a Presidential Media Chat: “I had a closed-door meeting with the National Assembly regarding the cars they are trying to buy.

“I hope they haven’t bought them yet.

“They can’t buy cars for themselves and also take money in car loans.”