House of Representatives members get brand new Peugeot 508s at a cost of over N6bn

MEMBERS of Nigeria's House of Representatives voted to pay out a sum of N6.1bn ($16.6m) for the purchase of brand new Peugeot 508 cars to be distributed to each of the 360 of them as part of their perks of office.

Certain to cause outrage as this comes at a time when Nigeria is still reeling from the effects of a recent recession and many civil servants and pensioners are owed salary arrears, the move has already been described as insensitive. Nigeria's lawmakers are among the highest paid in the world but despite this, Abdulrazak Namdas, the House spokesperson, said that  that 200 legislators have taken deliveries of their cars within the last few months, at the cost of N17m ($46,400) per unit.

He added that others are still anticipating their deliveries, which are expected to be met before the year runs out. Nigeria's National Assembly's car purchase binge, which is the latest in a culture that has persisted for decades, was severely criticised by Nigerians when it was first made public last year.

Mr Namdas said: “Over 200 cars have been supplied out of 360 and we are still getting more. Every member will get their car by the end of this year.”

In December last year, a lawyer dragged the parliament to court in Lagos after it was discovered that lawmakers budgeted N3.6bn for the cars. At the time, it was estimated that the cars would cost N10m each but Mr Namdas said the exchange rate crisis that beset the country for almost two years had taken its toll on the budget of the parliament and warranted an upward review.

Taxpayers will now pay more than 70% more for the cars, based on Mr. Namdas’ new estimates of N17m per unit. According to Mr Namdas, the payment for the vehicle is being done in instalments, implying that lawmakers would be made to pay back all the expenses from their respective salaries and benefits.

However, critics said the tactics had often been deployed to deceive Nigerians as lawmakers would be allowed to go with their cars at auction price when their tenures expire in 2019. Social critic Victor Okhai, said the purchase was insensitive and gutsy when past lawmakers embarked on it and even more distasteful now.

He added: “This is a worn-out strategy that they’re bragging about, as we know they would pay little to nothing from their pockets and still walk away with the cars at a ridiculously cheap amount. They hold Nigerians in disdain and they’re not even pretending about it.

“At a time when barely a fraction of Nigerians could afford to comfortably feed themselves, these lawmakers are buying cars that they don’t need, Of what use is a 508 Peugeot to Speaker Yakubu Dogara who already has some of the most exotic cars in his convoy?”

However, Mr Namdas said the House entered an understanding with Peugeot Automobile Nigeria for lawmakers to settle the cost on their own over a few years. He added that the purchase would further stimulate the country’s struggling economy, which has been in recession for a year, through employment opportunities in the supply chain.