Nigerian Senate Set To Buy N4.7billion Exotic Cars For Saraki, Other Senators

Investigation has shown that the
Nigerian Senate is set to acquire very
expensive exotic cars for all the
senators despite the cash crunch
rocking the country.
Investigation by Premium Times has
shown that the Nigerian Senate is
currently on the verge of illegally
buying various brands of exotic
vehicles for use by its President,
Bukola Saraki, and the 108 other
senators.
The cars will cost taxpayers an
estimated N4.7billion that could be
spent on vaccinating newborns and
safe them from dying or on
providing electricity for remote
communities so kids stop doing
school assignments using paraffin
lamps.
The upper legislative chamber is
buying the vehicles at a time
millions of Nigerians are facing
severe economic hardship, including
nonpayment of salaries.
The procurement is also happening
at a time millions of Nigerians are
enduring long and humiliating fuel
queues across the country because
the federal government is too broke
to pay importers of petrol several
billions in subsidy claims.
Already, the management of the
National Assembly has invited bids
from contractors interested in
supplying the vehicles.
In an advertisement published in
some newspapers, including
Blueprint of November 20, 2015, the
authorities asked the companies to
tender for “Lot 1S, Supply of Utility
Vehicles”.
The advert, in what appears a
deliberate ploy to conceal details,
failed to indicate the number, type
and specification of vehicles being
bought. However, PremiumTimes
obtained detailed copies of tender
documents being discreetly issued to
prospective contractors.
In one of the documents, the Senate
indicated it was buying 120 units of
Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model.
Other details of the vehicles included
that they must be “American Brand,
V8, VXR, 5.7, Auto Engine WITH
INTELLIGENCE”.
The senators also want the vehicles
to come with integrated navigator
cruise control, QI-Compatible
wireless charging and Kinetic
dynamic suspension system, as well
as being “full option”.
On November 21, the Senate also put
up another advert it labelled
“addendum”.
The latest advert under Lot 2S, which
was couched to look like an oversight
in the first advert, was for the
purchase of vehicles for the use of
the senate president’s convoy.
Under Lot 2S and based on the
tender document, which we have
also obtained, the national assembly
is seeking to purchase a 2016 model
Mercedes Benz S550 for Mr. Saraki.
Other vehicles being procured for
Mr. Saraki include four 2016 Toyota
Prado jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux
SS (Auto) as well as a 2016 model
Toyota Hiace Bus.
The spokesperson for the Senate,
Aliyu Sabi, could not be reached
Saturday to comment on these new
procurement as his telephone was
switched off the several times our
reporter called.
The Director of Information of the
National Assembly, Ishaku Dibal,
declined to comment on the matter.
He said he was driving and couldn’t
comment after our reporter put his
question to him.
Subsequent calls to his telephone
failed to connect.
Premium Times carried out a market
survey on all the vehicles being
bought by the senate and we can
confirm that the upper chamber
would spend over four billion naira
of taxpayers money to enhance their
taste for luxury.
Specifically, give or take, vehicles are
valued at N4.739,515,625.
Although there are 109 senators, the
lawmakers are buying 120 Toyota
Land-cruisers. It is not clear where
the balance of nine vehicles would
go. We arrived at our figure of N4.7
billion after computing the cost of
the vehicles, 35 per cent duties to be
paid, and another 35 per cent levy.
There is also the expected 35 per
cent profit margin to be made by
each supplier based on the
requirements of Nigeria’s
procurement act.
Our checks revealed that a Toyota
Land Cruiser, 2016 model, goes for
$84,000, and at the current exchange
rate of N250 to the dollar, it amounts
to N21,000,000.
If 75 per cent of cost is added, being
duty, levy and profit margin
(translating to N15, 750,000) each
vehicle would cost Nigerian tax
payers N36,750,000.
Given that the senators propose to
buy 120 units of the vehicles, the
total figure is expected to be
N4.41billion.
As for the convoy of the Senate
president, we found that Mercedes
Benz S550 2016 model goes for
$95,650, which translates to N23,
912,500 and addition of 75 percent
(duty, levy and profit margin) takes
the total cost of the car to
N49,020,625.00.
For the Toyota Prado SUVs, we were
able to determine that each unit
costs $73,000, which equals
N18,250,000, while a 75 per cent
addition of levy, duty and profit
would put the cost of each at
N37,412,500.
The total cost of the four (4) Prado
Jeeps being acquired for Mr. Saraki
is N149, 650,000.00.
Equally proposed for the Senate
President’s convoy are four Toyota
Hilux SS, Auto vehicles each costing
$50,150.
At N250 to the dollar, each Hilux Van
would cost N12,537,500 and an
additional 75 percent would
skyrocket the price of each unit to
N25,601, 875.00.
The total figure for the four being
proposed amounts to
N102,407,500.00
The last vehicle under consideration
is a Toyota Hiace Bus 2016 model,
which by our findings, goes for
$65,000 or N16,250,000 in naira
value.
An addition of 75 percent, being
duty, levy and profit, put the cost of
the bus at N28,437,500.00
Below is the number of vehicles and
estimated cost in summary.
120nos Toyota Land Cruiser —
N4,410,000,000:00
1nos. Mercedes Benz S550 —
N49,020,625:00
4nos. Toyota Prado —
N149,650,000:00
4nos Toyota Hilux SS —
N102,407,500:00
1Nos. Toyota Hiace Bus —
N28,437,500:00
Grand total: N4.739,515,625.00
A cocktail of illegalities
Premium Times reports that the
acquisition of cars for senators is a
violation of the monetisation policy
of the federal government.
Under the policy, no new vehicles
should be purchased by any agency
of government for use by officials.
Rather, public officers and political
office holders are to receive 250 per
cent of their annual basic salary as
motor vehicle loan, which translates
to N5.07 million for each senator.
Our sources at the National Assembly
said the Senators got these loans
before also proceeding to acquire
these new Toyota Land Cruisers.
Also, the President of the Senate is
said to have inherited the vehicles
used by his predecessor, and Senate
insiders say “he really does not need
new cars as the one he uses are in
top condition”.
But even if he needs new cars, the
number being acquired for him is in
excess of what the law provides.
According to the Revenue
Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal
Commission, the Senate President is
entitled to a maximum of six
vehicles, and not 10 as being bought
for him.
He is entitled to two official cars, one
pilot car, one protocol/press car, one
ambulance and one security car.
Members of the two chambers of the
national assembly are renown for
their taste for exotic vehicles even
after receiving monetary pay in lieu
of official vehicles based on the
provisions of the law.
The Senate had in the last legislative
session bought Toyota Prado Jeeps
for each Senator at the cost of over
N1.3 billion, coming after both
chambers had also bought Toyota
Camry, for Senators and Peugeot
vehicles for members of the House of
Representatives.
The allegedly shady deal involved in
the purchase of the Peugeot vehicles
formed part of the charges against
then Speaker Dimeji Bankole when
he was taken to court after
completing his term.