SERAP sues Gbajabiamila, Reps over ‘plan to spend N5.04bn on 400 exotic cars’

SERAP sues Gbajabiamila, Reps over ‘plan to spend N5.04bn on 400 exotic cars’

- Nigerians are kicking against plans by the House Representatives to buy 400 exotic cars worth about N5.04 billion for 360 members and other persons

- The court has been approached by SERAP and other concerned Nigerians over this plan, asking that the lawmakers be restrained

- The House of Reps during an executive session held on February 5, reportedly passed a resolution that 400 Toyota Camry 2020 cars be purchased as official vehicles for members

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 192 concerned Nigerians have dragged the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and all members of the House of Representatives to court.

In the lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP and other Nigerians are asking the court to restrain the House from spending an estimated N5.04 billion to buy 400 exotic cars for principal officers and members.

The group says the lawmakers are not entitled to buying expensive cars while asking the masses to tighten their belts.

The plaintiff further pointed out there was chronic poverty in Nigeria and many state governments are unable to pay salaries of workers and pensions.

The concerned Nigerians said if nothing is done to stop the lwamkers, theye would gi ahaed to spend over N5 billion of public funds on exotic cars at the expense of many Nigerians living in poverty and misery.

SERAP is also seeking a court order to “restrain and stop the National Assembly Service Commission from releasing any public funds to the House of Representatives to buy 400 Toyota Camry 2020 model cars estimated to cost $35,130 per car, until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public services and goods like education, security, health and clean water, is carried out.”

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/205/2020 filed last Friday, February 21, SERAP argued that public officials have a duty to answer for their conduct when call upon to do so by Nigerians.

The group stated that Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry.

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The plaintiffs want the court to determine whether the House of Representatives proposed plan "is not in breach of Section 57[4] of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the oath of office, and Paragraph 1 of Code of Conduct for Public Officers [Fifth Schedule Part 1] of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended].”

Earlier, a former senator who represented Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, reacted to the proposed purchase of foreign cars for lawmakers of the House of Representatives.

The outspoken former senator, wondered why the purchase of foreign rice was and is still being prohibited by the federal government when members of the House of Representatives are to be given cars made abroad.

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