EXCLUSIVE: Senate President Akpabio, House Of Reps Speaker Abass Budgeted Billions Of Naira To Have Convoys In 3 Nigerian Cities Each –SourcesSources also told SaharaReporters that apart from the posh SUV for each federal lawmaker, Akpabio and Abass also budgeted billions of naira to buy bulletproof vehicles Toyota Hilux pickup trucks to have convoys stations in Uyo, Abuja and Lagos for the former and Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja for the latter.
“They want to buy a unit of Land Cruiser SUV for senators at a price of about N240 million each and Prado at a price above N150 million each for House of Representatives members. “Also, Nigerians want to know how much the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Reps awarded for the contract for their convoys and vehicles; I mean for both of them,” another source said.
And for the House of Representatives, others accused of being involved include the House Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere who represents Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State and the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi . Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit against Akpabio and Abbas over"the unlawful plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as 'palliatives' for new members."
In the suit, SERAP argues:"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. The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Blessing Ogwuche, read in part:"The plan to spend N110bn is a fundamental breach of constitutional and international human rights obligations.