As part of a multi-billion naira automobile acquisitions by the National Assembly management for senators, the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, just like the senate president, Bukola Saraki, will be receiving 10 new exotic vehicles for his convoy worth over N300 million.
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 the National Assembly support staff have yet to receive their November salaries.
According to sources, the Nigerian Senate earlier concluded plans to buy top-of-the-range vehicles for its president, Senator 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.
The publication also obtained tender documents indicating that the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, will be receiving 10 new vehicles for his convoy, the number Saraki is also 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 Ekweremadu’s convoy alone.
A Mercedes Benz S550 2016 goes for $95,650, which translates to N23, 912,500 and addition of 105% (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% 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 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.
Also, like Saraki, the 10 vehicles proposed for 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.
Aliyu Abdullahi, the spokesperson for the Senate, said in a statement on Sunday that it became necessary to replace Saraki’s vehicles because he was using his personal vehicles and older brands inherited from his predecessor.