Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, will be receiving 10 new exotic vehicles for his convoy at over N300 million, as part of a multibillion naira illegal automobile acquisitions by the National Assembly management, for senators, PREMIUM TIMES can report today.
The purchases are coming despite the difficult economic situation Nigeria continues to face, with workers unpaid for months in some states, and governors considering reducing the national minimum wage or sacking civil servants.

The acquisitions are also coming at a time National Assembly support staff have yet to receive their November salaries.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported how despite cash crunch facing the nation, the Nigerian Senate concluded plans to buy top-of-the-range vehicles for its president, Bukola Saraki, and 108 other senators.

The contract was estimated at nearly N5 billion. But new details computed after the publication, show the actual amount would be in excess of that amount.

We have also obtained tender documents indicating that the deputy senate president, Mr. Ekweremadu, will be receiving 10 new vehicles for his convoy, the number Mr. Saraki is getting.

The cars include a Mercedes Benz S550, 4 Toyota Prado Jeeps, 4 Toyota Hilux vans and a Toyota Hiace Bus.
The market survey conducted by this paper show that the Senate will be spending about N329.5 million on Mr. Ekweremadu’s convoy alone.
A Mercedes Benz S550 2016 goes for $95,650, which translates to N23, 912,500 and addition of 105 percent (duty, levy and profit margin) takes the total cost of the car to about N49, 020,625.00.

For the Toyota Prado SUVs, each unit costs $73,000, which equals N18,250,000, while a 105 per cent addition of levy, duty and profit would put the cost of each at N37,412,500.
The total cost of the four Prado Jeeps being acquired for Mr. Ekweremadu is N149, 650,000.00.

Also proposed for the deputy 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 105 percent would raise the price of each unit to N25, 601, 875.
The sum of the proposed four Hilux brands is N102.4 million.

The last vehicle under consideration is a Toyota Hiace Bus 2016 model, which by our findings, could go for as high as N28.4 million.
The acquisition of cars for senators is a violation of the monetisation policy of the federal government, which debars government bodies from purchasing vehicles for its officials.

The policy instead allows public officers and political office holders 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, like Mr. Saraki, the 10 vehicles proposed for Mr. Ekweremadu far exceeds the six allowed the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission for the two offices respectively.

Individually, they are entitled to two official cars, one pilot car, one protocol/press car, one ambulance and one security car.
In its response to our earlier story, the senate struggled to justify the purchases, claiming the vehicles would serve committee needs, a deceitful argument the Senate and the House of Representatives have used in the past to defend similar procurements.
The spokesperson for the Senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, said in a statement on Sunday that it became necessary to replace Mr. Saraki’s vehicles because he was using his personal vehicles and older brands inherited from his predecessor.

“With respect to the official vehicles of the Senate President, it should be noted that majority of the vehicles in his convoy are his personal vehicles while some of the vehicles that he inherited, including his official vehicles and the backup car, are so old that they are already developing faults and not fit for long journey

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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/195296-exclusive-like-saraki-dep-senate-president-ekweremadu-to-get-10-new-exotic-vehicles.html

Our money is sinking

What the hell is all these. PMB if you don't respond to these kind of crazy expenditure by the NASS, then we Will conclude that there was no iota of CHANGE after all.

divinehand2003:
What the hell is all these. PMB if you don't respond to these kind of crazy expenditure by the NASS, then we Will conclude that there was no iota of CHANGE after all.

Make I hear say he go talk

ok

Atleast a Biafran

too much abeg....................

all i keep hearing is millions billions and trillions yet some people haven't even touched a whole 50k...

wicked rulers...


I'll probe... I'll probe.. Yet all those that were probed no one has faced the law...

what a country.... leaders saving for their 10th generation... leaders spending in irrelevant travels n tourism and forgetting to have their health checked only to wake up one morning and get strucked down by one illness... God is watching you all...

Okay, we don see... Meanwhile, keke still dey collect 50naira per jump n enter for uyo.

This is wasteful spending. What does he need 10 exotic cars for?

These are the people boko-haram and Biafrans should face. Come to think of it, which road in the entire East is he going to ride these vechile on? He should channels this wasted fund on building road in his regional zone and people will enjoy the benefits from his seat but he is here buying 10 cars that would add nothing meaning to himself and the entire south east.

Boko-Haram should blow the legislative house up. They've got my support here. They look away from innocent life wasted and face these political robbers in Agbada and suit.

Thousands of graduates are jobless. Umployment is on the rise on daily basis. The economy is fast crumbling and business are folding up faster than anyone could think. Social amenities is grounded. We dont have good road, water, hospital or power supply. Millions of people are suffering and someone think it is befitting to get himself 10 exotic cars will millions dont even know what to eat because they have no money to afford food.

Nigerians need to wake up. We need to protest and chase this pigs in the legislative house out. They are not serving the people or creating law for the interest of the mass but are there only to embezzle billions while the hardworking citizens of this country suffer.

A Mercedes Benz S550 2016 goes for $95,650, which translates to N23, 912,500

That is the base model. Chances are that they'll be going for top of the range model which could cost over $150,000.

The total number of legislatures and legislative staff is less than 2,500. How those number of persons gets a budget of N120b, while a state (with a population of over 5m) has an annual budget of less than N80b is beyond me. Also, the budget of the state includes capital projects while that of NASS is basically recurrent. Just plain ridiculous!

There you have it people, believe it or not this is the era of negative CHANGE.

Pple 2 fast ooooo........ See as dem juz dey comment....ts hard 2 hit ftc dis days.

Endtime senators

They are only delivering on campaign promises.

Iskanci

Oh that this money will reach me.

APC is full of deceit!
I'm nonpartisan but why the focus on Ekweremadu(PDP) and the down playing of Saraki(APC)?
All these coming on the heels of his jibes at the APC led government.
If this allegedly illegal car purchases are done,then it's a BIG shame on APC cuz it's happening in their government that is claiming to be fighting corruption.

APC should stop the cheap media propaganda and blackmail.I want to see visible changes and not media rants and propaganda!
Lia Mohammed you are no longer in opposition but the leading party.

*Some people will bash me for this because most Nigerian youths are politically myopic and sentimental.

divinehand2003:
What the hell is all these. PMB if you don't respond to these kind of crazy expenditure by the NASS, then we Will conclude that there was no iota of CHANGE after all.

The executive does not have that kind of power over the legislature...the legislature is an independent arm of government

Buhari is a terrorist- Lai Muhammed (1984)

Y

G

CHANGE

Saraki is SCAM. I think I have to like him

*faints*

Where is the body language odour of Booboo when you need it?
I forgot- it is ONLY focused on getting his pound of flesh revenge from Dasuki who arrested him during the coup of 1985 and Dokpesi who aired documentary on him during the campaign.
I thought he was fighting CORRUPTION



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In d end he will buy those so called "committe vehicles" at a scrap value of N2m per vehicle and pocket over N350M for doing nothing. May God help us.

That's the part of my 5000 naira. Promise they are useing here