Rep Members perfect plans to Share 360 Official Vehicles

The country burns but a few dine in the flames.

While Nigeria’s economy suffers its heaviest blow yet, the House of Representatives have finalized plans to allocate official vehicles to its members in the parliament.

This comes in the wake of the challenges facing the common Nigerian people that was exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies by the Nigerian government, an irony that raises more question on Nigeria’s democracy.

This longstanding practice of procuring new, multi-million Naira vehicles for lawmakers every four years has consistently sparked controversy, primarily due to the substantial expenditure involved.

Amidst public scrutiny, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, issued a statement on Sunday to address the matter.

Rotimi clarified that the media reports on the acquisition of these vehicles have been exaggerated.

He emphasized that the vehicles provided to members are not for personal use but are designated as utility operational vehicles essential for their oversight functions.

According to Rotimi, these vehicles are expected to be returned after the lawmakers’ tenure in the National Assembly. However, members may be granted the option to purchase the vehicles and claim ownership once their tenure has concluded.

In his statement, Rotimi stated,

“The House of Representatives is monitoring a trending topic across multiple traditional and online media concerning the distribution of vehicles to honourable members, and because this issue has understandably generated significant public interest, we believe Nigerians deserve feedback from their elected representatives.”

He went on to explain that the procurement and distribution of these vehicles adhere to existing procurement laws and are consistent with past practices in previous assemblies.

Additionally, he noted that this practice is not unique to the legislature, as officials in the Executive branch also receive official vehicles for their duties.

The vehicles designated for members of the House of Representatives are intended to support their oversight responsibilities within the standing committees.

These vehicles are not personal gifts but are intended to facilitate their work.

Throughout the tenure of the 10th assembly, which spans from 2023 to 2027, these vehicles will remain the property of the National Assembly.

At the end of the 10th Assembly’s tenure in 2027, members may choose to purchase the vehicles or they will continue to be the property of the National Assembly.

The statement further emphasized that members aim to maintain a healthy separation from the Executive branch, particularly concerning logistical aspects of their oversight functions.