Saraki, in justifying the purchase, said one of the vehicles he has been using is old and malfunctioning.Although Saraki in a statement issued his Media Adviser, Yusuf Olaniyonu, was silent on the cost of the vehicles, but a report by an online medium said they cost about N330 million and were delivered by Lanre Shitu Motors.
Saraki stated that it was wrong to classify vehicles provided for security agencies like the police and Department of State Service by the National Assembly management for their operations as vehicles bought for the Senate president.
The statement reads in part: “It is an obvious fact that the official and spare cars that the Senate President inherited and has been using are old and have been malfunctioning.
There are instances like the day Dr. Saraki visited Keffi for the marriage of the daughter of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and another day at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport that the spare vehicle broke down.
In both instances, the spare vehicle did not return home with the convoy. The same vehicle had malfunctioned at thePresidential Villa and National Mosque on different occasions.
It is for this reason that the Senate President approved that instead of providing two vehicles for him as he is entitled, only one should be bought to replace the official vehicle while the old official car should be converted to spare car.
“Also, if the National Assembly Management chose to provide operational vehicles for Security Agencies, should that be presented as if they are personal or official vehicles meant for the use of Dr. Saraki?
These are vehicles that cannot be used for other purposes and by other people. The Senate President also have nocontrol over the security vehicles.
“It is also surprising that despite the fact that the onlinemedia in the same story reported that the order for the vehicle was made in December, it chose to calculate the value of the vehicles based on current exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar. This is obviously a mischief aimed at making the figure look huge and justify the screaming headline.”
Indeed
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