The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has described the N60 billion SUV allocation for federal lawmakers as troubling, noting that the funds should have been redirected to the health care system.
Obi, who made this statement on Thursday on his X handle, said the allocation is part of the mismanagement of funds that now characterized the national trend.
Furthermore, the former Anambra governor said the lawmakers should have opted for a Nigerian-made vehicle such as Innoson or Nord, thus promoting domestic production in the country.
Noting that during his tenure as Anambra governor, he purchased only less expensive vehicles for members of his cabinet, Obi stated that such a trend should be replicated at the federal level to reduce cost.
In October, the National Assembly leadership declared the purchase of exotic Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) worth N160 million each for a lawmaker and bulletproof vehicles for principal officers.
The SUVs for each of the 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives are estimated at N57.6 billion.
As a result, the National Assembly’s allocation of N160 million for the purchase of SUVs for 469 lawmakers has been met with strong public disapproval, given the economic crisis in the country.
