In the past, they have been frowned at for appearing to make laws that favour them, while failing to enforce those that seem mass-orientated.
The recent acquisition of state of the art cars for themselves at a time that the world is literally mourning countless deaths from the coronavirus pandemic is an all time low for the Gbajabiamila-led House of Representatives.
As if oblivious of happening in the world, the lawmakers threw caution to the wind, embarking on an acquisition of 400 units of 2020 Toyota Camry car tagged utility vehicle or official cars.
Chairman of the Committee on House Services, Wale Raji, who confirmed delivery of the cars declined to respond to further enquiries.
However, findings revealed that not less than 400 units of the V6 Limited Edition variant of the car was purchased for members of the House of Representatives at an undisclosed rate.
Further findings on the website of Toyota revealed that each of the vehicles depending on the variant, has a price tag of between US$25,000 to US $35,000, excluding the cost of shipping and custom duties, which is said to be about 100 per cent of the actual cost of each unit.
Those with higher specification could cost in the following range: XLE at $29,455, XLE V6 at $34,580, XSE at $30,005 and XSE V6 at $35,130.
As you read, the cars some of which have been allocated are packed at different parking lots within the National Assembly Complex, true to a resolution reached at a sitting by the legislators in an executive (closed-door) session on February 5, during which they resolved to purchase the cars.
The cars, which originally belongs to the National Assembly, are usually auctioned to the lawmakers after four years.
Already, about 14 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sports utility vehicles have already been handed out to presiding as well as other principal officers and chairmen of select House committees.
Giving a breakdown of how the vehicles are shared, a member of the House, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said, the 400 saloon cars would be allocated to each of the 360 members and some top management staff, Chiefs of Staff to the (two) presiding officers as well as some of their special advisers and assistants.
The source said, “I was told 100 have already arrived and they are sharing them to new members who are not chairmen and deputy chairmen (of committees). The next batch will be for returning (ranking) members who are neither chairmen nor deputy chairmen. The last batch will go to ranking member with appointments.”
The Committee on House Services and the National Assembly Management, led by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, had constituted a joint committee to oversee the acquisition, verification and distribution to the lawmakers.
The Committee on House Services, which also exists in the Senate, serves as the protocol and welfare department.
The joint committee was set up as some members had alleged that the National Assembly had become a “dumping ground” for smuggled and refurbished automobile.
