Although, the purchase of the vehicles had been controversial against the backdrop of the monetisation policy of the Federal Government, the management had explained that the vehicles were not specifically for the legislators, but for the committees and their oversight responsibilities.
The Peugeot 407 was purchased for the 360 members of the House of Representatives while the Toyota Camry model was purchased for the 109 Senators in 2008.
Our correspondents reliably gathered that against the previous practice, the management of the National Assembly would make it available to legislators on the basis of the right of first refusal to pay for the vehicles at a certain price after calculating depreciation.
There are indications that a controversy is brewing over what price would be paid by the lawmakers for the vehicles.
It was learnt that the management was willing to offer the cars at between N2.5m to N2.7m to the lawmakers which would be deducted at source from the allowances of the lawmakers, but the legislators are looking at a price far lower than that.
According to a source close to the National Assembly management, lawmakers are ready to offer about N200,000 to N300,000 for the vehicles purchased at over N6m.
It was also gathered that because of the difference between the price offered by management and what the lawmakers were willing to pay, negotiations on the sale of the cars had broken down.
A Senator told one of our correspondents that he was aware that the vehicles would be sold at a price to be determined by the management.
He said, “I can assure you that the vehicles will not be taken away as has been alleged. It is likely going to be offered to legislators to buy.
“If I am offered one, I am going to buy. It is only fair that once legislators are leaving, the vehicles cannot be taken away just like that; but if legislators are allowed to pay for them, I think that is only fair.”
National Assembly’s Director of Information, Mr. Monima Daminabo, confirmed the proposed sale of the vehicles, but said the disposal would be done according to laid down rules and regulations of the civil service.
He said, “There is a laid down procedure, which must be followed. The cars will not be taken away by any body. The management is currently working on it and will follow strictly the laws on the matter.”
On the amount that the vehicles would be sold to the legislators, Daminabo noted that all the cars were not purchased at the same amount, even as they were not also subjected to similar depreciating pressures.
He, however, would not confirm the controversy raging between the legislators and the management on the appropriate value for the vehicles, saying that a department of the National Assembly was still working on the proper price of the vehicles.
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