The unions, while condemning the act, said it was criminal for the lawmakers to acquire cars after collecting loans for the same purpose in less than one year. The labour movement described the car purchase as despicable and shameful act. The workers’ unions demand the return of the cars to the supplier and prosecution of the lawmakers for corruption.
The Senate had already started taking delivery of the vehicles as the first set of the Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV), numbering 36, were delivered last Tuesday and distributed to some senators last Wednesday. Only the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is excluded from getting the car as he had, in February, acquired official cars at the cost of N330 million, despite reservations expressed by Nigerians.
The vehicles were also said to have been purchased for N35.1 million each, which is double the price of the same at automobile market as it goes for N17 million. NLC, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, described the inflation of the unit cost of each car as a willful, grievous and criminal act. ”
We at the Nigeria Labour Congress equally consider it a willful and grievous criminal act, the inflation of the unit cost of each of the cars by over a 100 per cent, as each car supposedly cost N35.1 million instead of N17 million” it said. NLC warned that it shall be left with no option than to mobilise Nigerian workers, its civil society allies, including market women and students against the senators if they failed to return the cars or be prosecuted by relevant agencies for corruption.
While declaring the action of the lawmakers as morally despicable and shameful, the NLC lamented that the senators acquired the exotic cars after publicly admitting that the standing committees of the Senate were unable to perform their statutory functions due to paucity of funds.
“We consider appalling, insensitive and greedy the decision of the Senate to acquire 108 Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps (one for each member less the Senate President) after collecting car “loans” in August last year for the same purpose. “It is equally morally despicable and shameful that they are doing this after publicly admitting that the standing committees of the Senate are unable to perform their statutory functions due to paucity of funds,” NLC said.
The NLC further stated that Nigerians are keen to know from where the senators got money for the purchase of the cars without appropriation. This was as it argued that the defence offered by the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, is laughable and childish.
“At a time with severe economic challenges and deepening poverty in the land, can the Senate afford this level of reckless luxury and arrogance? The answer is, no. “Their multiple acts of criminality, ranging from acquiring these cars after previously taking loans for the same purpose; spending money without appropriation and overinflating costs, constitute not just corruption, but a crime against the Nigerian people whom they claim to represent.
“Accordingly, we demand they return those cars to whoever supplied them or the appropriate agencies prosecute them for corruption. In the event none of this happens, they should be prepared to keep a date with Nigerian workers and their civil society allies including market women and students. No one is above the law,” it said.
In a statement signed by TUC President, Bala Bobboi Kaigama, and made available to New Telegraph, the union queried the rationale behind such an action at a time the country was going through tough times. The statement said: “Where did such idea emanate from for God’s sake at a time the country is bleeding from all sides and seriously gasping for breath? This is obviously a pointer to the fact that our senators don’t mean well for the country. They have lost touch with the plight of the people that voted for them.
“What would our senators say they have achieved in the last one year? It is morally wrong and shameful for the Senate of the Federal Republic to attach so much importance to infinitesimal things like cars and houses at a time their counterparts elsewhere are making good laws and transforming lives.
“We do not know of any lawmaker both in the Red and Green Chamber that had not got cars before they came to the Senate. Some have even been in the Senate now for 12 years after serving as governors and lawmakers in their respective states.
“Where lies the conscience of our senators? How come they are not disturbed by the effort of our president to revamp the economy? We are not going to let all these forces frustrate the effort of the Federal Government again, not anymore.”
TUC demanded the Senate to immediately furnish Nigerians and the world how they got money for the purchase of these cars without appropriation. It noted: “We view as demeaning and laughable the explanation by Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who said that Special Advisers drive jeeps, why not Senators? Oh, it is unfortunate this Senate is determined to frustrate the effort of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
“We have set machinery in motion on how to stall the evils going on, on the floor of the Senate. At first, it was an amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act and now, paltry issues like cars. But for greed and avarice, what cars haven’t they got?”
Newtelegraph
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