The National Assembly (NASS) has now spent a total sum of N53.7 billion on cars for elected lawmakers in the last 12 years.
It was learned that the lawmakers, both senators, and members of the House of Representatives, purchased luxury cars every four years, running into billions of cars in cost.
In the 7th Assembly between 2011 and 2015, a total of N3.5 billion was spent on cars for only serving lawmakers. The figure rose to N4.7 billion in the 8th Assembly between 2015 and 2019.
During the 9th Assembly between 2019 and 2023 as well, the amount spent for lawmakers’ exotic cars was N5.5 billion, about N800 million increment from the preceding year.
The figure increased in the 10th Assembly which is expected to last between June 2023 and June 2027, with N40 billion proposed for the purchase of vehicles for the lawmakers.
Even though the N5.5 billion spent for the purchase of cars for the members of the 9th Assembly was justified by the then Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, there were several criticisms.
Abdullahi insisted that the N5.5 billion voted for the official vehicles for members was part of the N125 billion National Assembly (NASS) budget passed for that year.
“The N5.5 billion is from the National Assembly fund and not money being sought from any other source. Besides, the scheme, as it has always been with previous assemblies, is a monetized one, requiring each of the lawmakers to pay back the cost of whatever vehicle is given to them,” he said.
The 10th National Assembly (NASS) had proposed N40 billion for the purchase of cars. This matter has been in contention ever since as civil society organizations have kicked against it, insisting that such spending is not sustainable.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has advised the National Assembly to drop what it termed a scandalous plan to spend N40 billion on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members.
Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) have also said that Nigeria cannot continue such justifiable and unsustainable spending.
Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs disclosed that Nigeria cannot continue that way and called for a national dialogue that will allow Nigerians to decide how their democracy should be run.
“We can’t continue this way. We can’t support that kind of spending on vehicles. That is not what democracy is all about. Democracy is about the proper utilization of public funds. Democracy is about ensuring fairness, equity, and justice. This spending on cars is not sustainable and not justifiable.
“Every year, you go to the budget, you see the same items like laptops and cars. We can’t continue like that. There is diversion and stealing of public funds in the name of buying cars. Democracy in Nigeria is about looting. Some of us did not fight for democracy for people to come and loot.”
Speaking further, he said his organization was not in support of the looting of public funds and rigging of elections.
“The National Assembly should know that Nigerians are watching them because, with the underdevelopment, poor infrastructure, we can’t continue to spend this kind of money on cars.
“There must be a national dialogue and consensus on the kind of democracy we should operate. If we don’t do that, the politicians will continue to loot to the detriment of the masses,” Rafsanjani said.
