Legislators offer N200,000 for official vehicles bought for N6m in 2008
By John Ameh and Oluwole Josiah, Abuja
Tuesday, 31 May 2011



As the Sixth National Assembly winds down in a few days, its management is set to sell 469 Peugeot 407 and Toyota Camry 2008 model operational vehicles purchased for its standing committees to its outgoing members.

Although, the purchase of the vehicles had been controversial against the backdrop of the monetisation policy of the Federal Government, the management had explained that the vehicles were not specifically for the legislators, but for the committees and their oversight responsibilities.

The Peugeot 407 was purchased for the 360 members of the House of Representatives while the Toyota Camry model was purchased for the 109 Senators in 2008.

Our correspondents reliably gathered that against the previous practice, the management of the National Assembly would make it available to legislators on the basis of the right of first refusal to pay for the vehicles at a certain price after calculating depreciation.

There are indications that a controversy is brewing over what price would be paid by the lawmakers for the vehicles.

It was learnt that the management was willing to offer the cars at between N2.5m to N2.7m to the lawmakers which would be deducted at source from the allowances of the lawmakers, but the legislators are looking at a price far lower than that.

According to a source close to the National Assembly management, lawmakers are ready to offer about N200,000 to N300,000 for the vehicles purchased at over N6m.

It was also gathered that because of the difference between the price offered by management and what the lawmakers were willing to pay, negotiations on the sale of the cars had broken down.

A Senator told one of our correspondents that he was aware that the vehicles would be sold at a price to be determined by the management.

He said, “I can assure you that the vehicles will not be taken away as has been alleged. It is likely going to be offered to legislators to buy.

“If I am offered one, I am going to buy. It is only fair that once legislators are leaving, the vehicles cannot be taken away just like that; but if legislators are allowed to pay for them, I think that is only fair.”

National Assembly’s Director of Information, Mr. Monima Daminabo, confirmed the proposed sale of the vehicles, but said the disposal would be done according to laid down rules and regulations of the civil service.

He said, “There is a laid down procedure, which must be followed. The cars will not be taken away by any body. The management is currently working on it and will follow strictly the laws on the matter.”

On the amount that the vehicles would be sold to the legislators, Daminabo noted that all the cars were not purchased at the same amount, even as they were not also subjected to similar depreciating pressures.

He, however, would not confirm the controversy raging between the legislators and the management on the appropriate value for the vehicles, saying that a department of the National Assembly was still working on the proper price of the vehicles.

fresh air,

What a Wasteful Government!

The operative words here are N200k, N2.5m and negotiation. Nowhere does it say they have agreed to sell at that price so why people are up in arms about it i dont know.

institutionalized corruption; in Nigeria most political holders even down to always go with more than 2 cars complete with new fg numbers.

Tee_Jay:

The operative words here are N200k, N2.5m and negotiation. Nowhere does it say they have agreed to sell at that price so why people are up in arms about it i dont know.

HMMM I THINK U ARE THE AUTO DEALER THAT PURCHASE THE VEHICLE ON THEIR BEHALF, WHAT IS BAD HAS NO OTHER NAME , STOP FINE TUNING

nigeria jaga jaga, everytin skata skata, poor man dey surfa surfa, (singing)

adefemi1:


HMMM I THINK U ARE THE AUTO DEALER THAT PURCHASE THE VEHICLE ON THEIR BEHALF, WHAT IS BAD HAS NO OTHER NAME , STOP FINE TUNING

I dont understand, what is bad about govt selling off company cars to staff atr discounted rates? Is this unheard of? I agree the offer of N200k is derisory, last time i checked it said they were negotiating or that it the negotiation had broken down so the cars have not been sold

^^^what "company" cars?

Tee_Jay:

I dont understand, what is bad about govt selling off company cars to staff atr discounted rates? Is this unheard of? I agree the offer of N200k is derisory, last time i checked it said they were negotiating or that it the negotiation had broken down so the cars have not been sold

our tax payers money has now turn into company money , birds of the same feather, bad governance bad people.
, i sorry for you,

If they want to be fair,they should auction the cars openly so that whether u are a NASS member or not u can actually buy any of the cars.

Why sell the cars in the first place? Can't the incoming members not use the same cars? Is the intention to get rid of these cars so as to purchase new ones for the new members?

I think as Nigerians we ought to start asking our elected members more mature questions than 'helping' them in creating excuses for actions that at the end of the day, continue to cost us. It has been over 12 years with this democracy -- even 12-year olds are not daft.

Why are the cars being sold?
They were committee cars, will the committees not exist in this new NASS?
Why do our leaders like behaving like common criminals who are cursed?
Each member of the house has at least 3 personal cars, what do they need this one for?
so after these cars are sold another contract will be awarded for the 109 and 700+ members of the new NASS?
Another contract that will be inflated??
Forget the price and the silly negotiations, the cars should not be sold.
SMH!!!

let say dey re helping citizen who can afford 2 buy carz @ 6millon.

Kai, Naija for show!!!!

Nigerian Government allowed the importation of used cars to the Nigerian markets. Is 3 years old cars too old for the incoming house? Nothing must happen to those cars because, the new NASS needs them. We cannot continue this way, Nigeria will one day sink.

This is purely legislative corruption. It is only a corrupt mind that will price a product of 6m only 200k after 3 yrs of use. Account wise, the net book value of the cars by now will be around 4m or thereabout.
May God deliver us in Jesus Name.

If we really have a cost consious govt, those cars can still be retained for another 2 years for the committees. Those of us who are fortunate to work and have pool/departmental cars have been using them for 5 years in some cases. And besides the roads in Abuja are good and i would expect they are properly maintained. So why must they be sold.

@Soundmind

Amen,

If they dont sell (or dash out) the cars, how can NASS President and Committee chairpersons "approve another inflated Contract" to purchase new ones?

Dont you know this is NIGERIA WHERE RULERS ARE CRIMINALS AND THE CITIZENS ARE WIMPS?

Mubarak did not VACATE because he was a nice guy, or because Egyptians can type well on Niaraland!

HE WAS FORCED OUT, DITTO BEN ALLI, GHADAFI, SALEY OF YEMEN, e.t.c

Lets stop deceiving ourselves, "suffer head just start".,.,.,.,. (begins to sing "Original Suffer-head" - Fela Anikulapo Kuti)

lol, funny pple, 9ja eh!!!!, even its depreciation value still intact! , most definitely a yard's sale!

Why sell the cars when the committees will still exist in the new legislature? Another way of siphoning public funds.

ReachRich:

If they want to be fair,they should auction the cars openly so that whether u are a NASS member or not u can actually buy any of the cars.

If they insist on selling,then the auction should opened to all nigerians.

oladayo042:

Why sell the cars when the committees will still exist in the new legislature? Another way of siphoning public funds.

Are you new in this country to know that our politicians don't trust one another ? Their evil minds won't allow the incoming legislators to use the cars even if they are not sold to the outgoing legislators .

Hehe, see auction. Wait, is it that those cars cannot be used by the incoming NASS. Why do the cars NEED to be sold? Have they all broken down or what? Erm, I think its high time Nigerians drop this siddon look position and begin to hold our leaders, especially those legislators responsible. We've focused on the executive too much and have nearly completely ignored the legislature.

fresh air doesn't come cheap now!

new ministers/house of rep members will need new cars each. . .Nigeria is a land that flows with milk and honey, you whinners should stop whinning already!

@OP

What is the source of this information? Kindly provide

This cars are still good for 5 years more before selling can occur. Why sell it to this thieves who atleast have 3 personal cars to themselves?

God please help Nigeria

Am not suprise cos i already know that this country is a living hell. survival of the fittest.

where are the insurance firms, auctioneers, auto dealers they are in the best position to handle this,

I think we still have a long way to go in this country if @ this stage in the world order the nations still bothers itself with issues like this. Imagine 200k for cars bought @ 6m 3 years ago. Methinks we need more ideologically sound minds in government than the bunch of clueless morons we currently have who cannot handle simple administrative matters like disposing of official cars in a sensible manner. For God's sakes! cant we do anything right in this country without any spec of corruption attached to it!