| SENATE OF NIGERIA |
The
Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria yesterday, (Sunday) issued its
clarification of the recent purchase of vehicles. The Senate said in view of
the country’s present economic condition, it was constrained to propose to
purchase vehicles for each member’s use. It stated that the only proposal was
for the purchase of project vehicles to be used by the Senate committees in the
discharge of their committee duties.
The
statement made by the Senate spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman,
Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, informed the public that the vehicles purchased
for use of the committees of the 7TH Nigerian Senate had over its 4
year tenure had due to use undergone wear and tear and needed to be replaced.
He said the change was in line with best practices as obtained in government
and private organizations. He noted that after the four year period the
vehicles were disposed of at a depreciated value.
Senator
Abdullahi, however, maintained that the vehicles in question were one of the necessities
the Senate usually provided to its committees to facilitate their independence
in the discharge of their oversight functions and not meant for individual
Senators.
He
also offered clarification on the official vehicles of the Senate President, saying
that while most of the vehicles in his use were personal vehicles, the official
vehicles he inherited, including his official vehicles and the backup car were
already old, faulty and unable to withstand any long journey, citing 3
instances where there had been a breaking down of the official vehicle of the
Senate President.
Senator
Abdullahi said the Senate President was not one to demand frivolously for the
purchase of new official vehicles and the purchase was only based on the fact
that the vehicles were long overdue for replacement.
The
statement called on the media to shun the casting of the Senate in bad light in
a bid to turn the Nigerian public against it. It called for an informed
position by the media in the discharge of its function so as to better inform
the public, stating that both the media and the legislature had their roles to
play in the sustenance of our democracy and needed to work as partners.
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