Labour Party legislators in the National Assembly have seemingly disregarded the counsel of their party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, who advised them not to partake in the provision of luxury official vehicles slated for lawmakers.
In a statement issued on Monday, Abure expressed concern that the National Assembly leadership intended to purchase a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N160 million for each legislator.
He criticized the plan as insensitive and reprehensible, considering the challenging economic conditions in the country. He urged Labor Party-affiliated lawmakers not to participate in this extravagant expenditure.
When questioned on Thursday about whether Labour Party lawmakers would heed Abure’s call, Ngozi Okolie, the legislator representing Delta Aniocha North and South, asserted that Abure’s demands were unrealistic.
This was particularly the case since he hadn’t presented any viable alternatives for them to carry out their legislative duties.
Okolie explained, “The SUVs are intended to facilitate our work as lawmakers, particularly concerning our oversight responsibilities. While he may claim that the economy is struggling, having an official vehicle for federal lawmakers is not extravagant; it’s a necessity.”
He further pointed out that Nigerians tend to criticize lawmakers for such issues, even though politicians at the state level receive more benefits than federal legislators.
He said, “Commissioners and House of Assembly members often receive two to three such vehicles, whereas National Assembly members are only getting one car each. Yet he (Abure) is complaining and telling us not to accept them.
“Does he have any to offer us? Will he provide us with the tools we need to perform our duties or propose an alternative? Has Abure advised the members in his state in Edo not to accept the official vehicles provided to them?”
Okolie also argued that it was more cost-effective to purchase these vehicles than to rent them every time they needed to conduct oversight.
Similarly, Stainless Nwodo, the legislator representing Igbo Etiti and Uzo-Uwani constituencies in Enugu State, expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s approval of these vehicles for lawmakers.
Nwodo stated, “National Assembly members should pray for the President and give him three ‘Gbosas’ for his magnanimity to the lawmakers.
“Nobody in the National Assembly is against the SUV, when the SUV comes, we will collect it and use it to bring more benefits to our constituencies; because in the real sense, it is for the constituents.”
Nwodo further added, “I don’t want to believe the chairman of the party said so, because did he give us any vehicle to do our jobs?
“Attributing his reason to economic hardship is pure blackmail. In the first instance, the vehicle is for each constituency, not the personal vehicle for the members.
“Also, we need these SUVs to ply the bad roads in our constituencies when we need to visit them and deliver goodies to them. This is why the Speaker and the Senate President decided that SUVs are better to visit our constituencies.
“My own stance is that I will take the SUV and use it to deliver dividends to my constituents.”
On the other hand, Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South Senatorial District, expressed his intent to withhold judgment until the vehicles are delivered.
He commented, “I’d urge you to wait until that happens, then we will revisit the issue. I wouldn’t want to count my chickens before they hatch.
“Labour Party has eight senators out of 109 and about 35 in the House of Representatives out of 360. So, I don’t know if it would make any difference if the lawmakers in the party take it or not.
“I don’t think telling them to take or reject would make any difference, I don’t think it would affect anything.
“Having said that, we haven’t been given any vehicle yet, but they said they would give.”