Planned N5.04Bn budget on 400 cars: SERAP, 192 others drag Gbajabiamila, Reps to court

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and 192 concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain and stop Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila and all members of the House from spending an estimated N5.04 billion to buy 400 exotic cars for principal officers and members.

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 each until an impact assessment of the spending on access to public services and goods like education, security, health and clean water, is carried out.”

Recall that the House of Representatives during an executive session held on 5th February, 2020 reportedly passed a resolution that 400 Toyota Camry 2020 cars be purchased as official vehicles for 360 members and other persons, including top management staff, Chief of Staff to the two presiding officers, as well as some of their special advisers and assistants.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/205/2020, filed last Friday, on behalf of SERAP and the concerned Nigerians by their lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, and Opeyemi Owolabi, 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. All those who hold the strings of political power and power over spending of Nigeria’s commonwealth have a duty to answer for their conduct when call upon to do so by Nigerians.”

In a statement on Sunday by Oluware, who is also Deputy Director of SERAP, the plaintiffs also maintained that: “It is illegal and unconstitutional for members of the House of Representatives to choose to buy expensive and exotic cars while encouraging Nigerians to tighten their belts and to patronize Nigerian brands. It is also illegal for members to reject cheaper and equally reliable options.”

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According to the plaintiffs, “If the members of House of Representatives take their duties to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged among us seriously, including their duties to judiciously spend public funds, they would not have voted to spend over $35,000 per car, especially given the current economic and financial realities of Nigeria.