Nigerians were not only taken aback but livid with anger at the report that the House of Representatives had concluded an arrangement to give one bulletproof SUV worth N160 million to each of the 360 members of the lower legislative chamber.
The development has drawn the ire of Nigerians from various walks of life ranging from local motor manufacturers to political parties, economic experts, rights activists, and ethnic nationality leaders among others.
This is coming at a time when the Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, raised the alarm that about 63 percent of Nigerians live in poverty.
The situation is also frightening and worrisome considering the rising trend of inflation, which has continued unabated in the recent time. According to a report, the country’s inflation rate has, in September, hit an all-time high of 26.72 percent relative to the August headline inflation rate at 25.80 percent.
The Statistician-General, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, said the September headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.92 percent when compared to the August headline inflation rate.
However, in the midst of the worsening economic situation in the country, which has left millions of Nigerians unable to afford one square meal per day, members of the Green Chambers of the National Assembly are spending a whopping N57.6 billion to procure brand new vehicles for its members.
This has left many Nigerians speechless, with others calling for an amendment of the constitution in such a way that in future, the national assembly members would not be able to just wake up and spend such a humongous amount of money on such luxury cars when the country’s economy is wobbling.
There are those who insist that even though presidential democracy as a system of government is not bad but the way and manner it is practised in Nigeria has placed parliamentary democracy over and above it. Those pushing this argument insist that since the principle of checks and balances, which appears to be the bedrock of the presidential democracy, is completely absent in the country’s system, it would not be a bad idea to try another system of government.
But, there is also another group that blames the development on weak institutions. They argue that if the institutions are strong, they would act as checks on the excesses of those in the government. They are, therefore, proposing that going forward, Nigeria should try to strengthen its institutions such that the National assembly or any other organ of the government would not just wake up and allocate resources to its members at the expense of the ordinary suffering Nigerians.
Although the House of Representatives, through its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, has reacted to the development, confirming that the green chamber was in the phased process of procuring and distributing operational vehicles to its members and that the vehicle procurement carried varying exaggerations, Nigerians remained apprehensive, agitated and angry over the development.
He had insisted that the vehicles were not personal gifts to the lawmakers as they remain the property of the National assembly within the four-year tenure of members of the House.
Rotimi argued that the anticipated allocation of vehicles would ensure that the legislators carry out their legislative duties effectively and efficiently. He said it would enable them to contribute to improved representation, constituency outreach and oversight functions.
He said: “It is important to make a few clarifications. The vehicles to be allocated to the offices of honourable members are utility operational vehicles tied to their oversight functions in the discharge of their duties in the standing committees.
“They are not personal vehicles gifted to honourable members. For the duration of the 10th Assembly, 2023 to 2027, the vehicles shall remain the property of the national assembly.
“At the expiration of the tenure of the 10th Assembly in 2027, should the extant assets de-boarding policy of government still be in place, the honourable members may have the option of making payment for the outstanding value of the vehicles to the government coffers before they can become theirs, otherwise they remain the property of the National assembly.
“No matter how remote the location is, as long as there are Nigerian citizens living there, they deserve highly mobile representatives, who can see first-hand what they are going through, and ensure that the government’s interventions, programmes, and policies are carried out effectively. This can only be possible with functional and reliable off-road vehicles.
“The vehicles are work tools and not status symbols; the honourable members are diligent and patriotic elected representatives, and not entitled. The anticipated allocation of vehicles will contribute to improved representation, constituency outreach and oversight functions.”
Reacting to the development, the Labour Party (LP), had asked its members in the House of Representatives to reject the largesse, describing it as economic wastage.
The LP in a statement through its national chairman, Julius abure condemned the procurement of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for members of the House of Representatives, saying it was shocked and disappointed at the level of insensitivity being displayed by the executive and the legislative arms of the All Progressives Congress-led (APC) administration.
He lampooned the APC-led government for deciding to increase its appetite for a life of opulence despite the deepening poverty among Nigerians.
He queried: “How else can any government justify the bloated Federal Executive Council of 48 cabinet ministers, with each of them given three luxurious four-wheel drive vehicles on the first day in office, paid for and fueled by taxpayers?”
Continuing, he said: “This is notwithstanding hundreds of presidential and ministerial aides, as well as numerous aides to the aides which are being funded by the government.
“These vehicles will be costing Nigerians about N57.6 billion, and this is happening at a time when the government claims it cannot afford to increase the minimum wage of N30,000 monthly to workers.
“A bag of 50 kg rice is today N50,000, and most families can’t afford two square meals a day. How insensitive can a government become? This same government is still going round the world cap in hand seeking for loans; what a shame!
“As things stand today, inflation is likely to hit 30 percent by December, yet all they are concerned about is the comfort of a privileged few, who found themselves in public office.”
The party lamented that instead of empowering local manufacturers like the Innnoson Motors and the Peugeot Automobiles to boost the economy, the House of Representatives was busy chasing shadows and engaging in a wild goose chase.
“When our presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, said we in the Labour Party want to move the economy from consumption to production, this is what we meant, Nigeria first,” the LP said.
The party urged the APC-led government to retrace its steps and give priority to revamping the nation’s economy instead of its current obsession with luxurious life.
It also called on the legislators under the platform of the LP to uphold the party’s ideology by fighting against what it termed unnecessary wastage of the nation’s lean resources. The party also warned that if they failed to kick against the development, that Nigerians would hold them accountable for failing to live up to their expectations as well as the ideals of the LP.
“We are also calling on the Labour Party legislators in the 10th Assembly to kick against this unnecessary wastage of resources in line with the ideology of the party which is social justice and equal opportunity for all.
“Nigerians will hold them responsible if they fail to live above board or give proper account of the electoral investment reposed in them.
“Nigerians are fed up with the status quo and they crave for a different leadership that must factor the interest of the suffering masses. The poor must be allowed to breathe again in this country,” the party insisted.
Dr. Pogu Bitrus of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) said the action of the legislators showed how insensitive they are to the situation in Nigeria. He noted that it was also an indication that they are selfish and only interested in themselves. “I think Nigerians need to tell them clearly that the time for this kind of frivolities is gone; we should start a new era,” he said.
He also argued that it was a clear demonstration of the fact that the system of government in Nigeria running is wasteful. He noted that such a thing could not have happened in a parliamentary system of government. He said: “I am not an advocate of a parliamentary system of government but this kind of thing wouldn’t have happened in a parliamentary system. It is unfortunate that we are abusing the opportunities we have. If the green chamber of the national assembly decides to carry this through, I think Nigerians would have to rethink whether we really need some constitutional amendments to stop such things from happening.”
Dr. Bitrus also argued that the development has underscored the need for the current government to visit the national conference report of 2014. He said: “Again, some of us are really advocates of restructuring and we would like this government to go back to the 2014 confab report and let us see how we can restructure this country, so that things would work better. I think that is the bottom line.”
However, talking about constitutional amendment, one would wonder how the legislators who are the biggest beneficiaries of the current system, would be willing to alter it. But on that, Dr. Bitrus also said: “Of course they will resist it but they were elected by the people. It is people’s mandate that took them there, so if today, Nigerians should say that they have had enough of this, the National assembly will be forced to look into whatever it is. It is the will of Nigerians that is being tested. It is up to Nigerians to stand up and say this cannot happen and this should not happen; not when we are in this kind of economic mess and this is what you want to do. It shouldn’t happen. We should come out to tell them loud and clear that it shouldn’t happen.”
Are these legislators by their action giving credence to those who are making a case for the parliamentary system of government in place of the current presidential democracy? He said: “No, we are not saying that democracy is not good for us. Democracy is good and remains the best for us; it is just that we need to have checks and balances. You know, in the Western countries, what they have are very strong institutions that would set limits for the president and every other government official. That is why someone like Donald Trump could be taken to court; in Nigeria it wouldn’t happen.
“So, we need to have very strong institutions in place. If the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) sets out criteria and limits for the National assembly members on the types of allowances and remunerations they would have, such limits must be adhered to. Everybody has to do things according to the dictates of those strong institutions but it is unfortunate that in Nigeria, such institutions do not exist. Here, there are some people that cannot be arrested by the police. The legal system can be arm-twisted into doing what the executive wants.
“We have weak institutions, and we need to develop strong institutions, so that democracy can thrive and work well in Nigeria. The police, the army, the RMAC and every other institution must work according to the constitution, and that is the only way to ensure that this kind of madness does not happen again in Nigeria, going forward.”
For Hon Yusuf Shehu, a former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly, it s a shame on Nigeria’s political leaders that at this critical period when Nigerians are living in abject poverty, with dilapidated infrastructure everywhere, the House of Representatives members are behaving as if all is well with the country. “That is the height of insensitivity,” he noted.
He stressed that each of the members of the lower legislative chamber would be in a good position to provide chairs, tables, books and even toilet facilities for all the pupils in all the primary schools within their constituencies but lamented that instead of doing that to better the lot of the masses, they prefer to waste the money on frivolities.
He said: “The money is enough to provide textbooks, chairs and tables for the pupils in primary schools in each of the member’s constituencies but they would rather allow the children to learn sitting on a bare floor while they live in opulence. The money can also provide good toilet facilities in all the primary schools in each member’s constituency but one person is driving a single car of N160m; it is a shame on our leaders. This is a country where people cannot afford three square meals per day, a country where people cannot sleep with two eyes closed because of insecurity, but the leaders who are supposed to provide good governance are busy feathering their nests at the expense of the poor masses.”
He, therefore, called on Nigerians and the civil society organisations to rise up and resist the lawmakers’ move to waste such an amount of money on cars alone. “I call on Nigerians and civil society organisations to rise up and reject this criminal and frivolous wastage of our common wealth, so that it would be reversed. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and all lovers of Nigeria should speak out against this evil. It must be reversed; Nigerians cannot afford such luxury for her legislators at this point in time. It is a big shame on our leaders and we must not allow them to carry it out,” he submitted.
Also, speaking on the development, the founder of a local vehicle manufacturing company, Nord Motors, Ajayi Oluwatobi, said his company explained to the lawmakers why it would be better to procure vehicles from the company but lamented that the lawmakers didn’t find anything good in the proposal and they were out-rightly rebuffed.
He said: “The National Assembly buying foreign built vehicles at this time is dispiriting, especially when you consider that we are all trying to promote buy made in Nigeria to grow the Naira. A sad part of this is that we, the assemblers and manufacturers of vehicles in Nigeria, actually proposed our vehicles and explained how it would make a lot of financial, technical and political sense to buy from us, but they did not even entertain the idea for long.
“How can you represent Nigeria but refuse Nigeria, especially when some of us have shown you that we could offer similar top quality at a better price? Why do you want to be seen driving a foreign brand when a Nigerian brand can offer you the same quality at a better price? No automotive sector can become successful without the support of the government. The Tesla we see today is the result of years of support from the US government. We want to create jobs but we export the opportunities to create jobs to other countries at every chance we get.”
For the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, Nigeria was becoming a carcass, and the political class its scavengers. He argued that the lawmakers’ actions simply indicated that Nigeria was not yet serious as a country.
He said: “There is a real problem when Nigeria is set to borrow another $1.5 billion from the World Bank for budget support, and SUVs worth N160 million each are reportedly to be bought for 360 members of the House of Representatives. We are not yet serious as a country.
“Nigeria is becoming a carcass and our political class, its scavengers. If I were the president of Nigeria or governor of a state, no government official would drive a foreign made vehicle at government expense, when we have local alternatives. That is one demonstration of patriotic leadership and commitment to cutting the cost of governance.”
A financial expert, Kalu Aja lamented that the money that could have been used to create jobs and boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was being wasted on frivolities. He said: “If the National Assembly spent those billions to order made in Nigeria cars from Innoson and NORD, it would be simulative, create jobs and boost Nigeria’s GDP. The National Assembly is a first-line waste of taxpayers’ money. When you earn N10 and spend N100, you don’t have a revenue problem; you have a spending problem. Nigeria is too poor to afford the lifestyle of its leaders.”
Also speaking, a Lagos-based Lawyer, Marcellus Onah argued that the priority of good leaders should not be humongous expenditure on luxury automobiles but about enacting laws that will help the country outwit its numerous socio-economic challenges, including widespread insecurity. “Which of the lawmakers does not have more than two good functional vehicles that will facilitate their movement around? How is this N160 million SUV for each of them going to improve the quality of laws they will enact to enhance good governance in Nigeria? How is it going to improve other legislative functions that they are constitutionally tasked with? How is it going to improve the country’s security? How is it going to reduce crime? How is it going to create employment and fight poverty? How is it going to guarantee food security? How is it going to improve the education system, which is already in shambles? In the first instance, why are they even being paid this much? What are they doing? Their pay package is too much? This is why the cost of governance has gone above the ceiling in Nigeria. A country that takes loans from banks to purchase cars that it is not manufacturing is doomed. We are doomed as a nation,” he submitted.
SUN NEWS
