• Monday, May 20, 2024
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Senate defends luxury SUVs purchase, says ministers have 3 SUVs

Akpabio’s 10th Senate breaks tradition, operates without legislative agenda

The Senate has defended its decision to purchase luxury vehicles for lawmakers despite recent dissenting opinions.

Speaking to the press in Abuja on Tuesday, Sunday Karimi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Services, explained that the leadership of the National Assembly made this choice for lawmakers based on considerations of durability and maintenance over a four-year period.

Karimi also highlighted that while lawmakers faced scrutiny from the public, the fleet of vehicles held by some ministers, including multiple Land Cruisers, Prado, and other automobiles, often goes unquestioned.

Read also:Senate probes N11.35trn spent on maintenance of moribund refineries

This development follows public outcry over the disclosure that members of the House of Representatives were poised to receive SUVs worth 160 million naira each.

On Friday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sought a Federal High Court injunction in Lagos to halt the delivery of these SUVs until the organization’s applications for injunction were heard and determined.

These applications came in response to reports that the House of Representatives intended to purchase SUVs totaling N57.6 billion, with each vehicle costing approximately N160 million.