In the midst of public outcry over the National Assembly’s plan to purchase Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) allegedly worth N160 million for each lawmaker, Senator Neda Imasuen, a Labour Party (LP) lawmaker in the Senate, has defended the LP members, stating that it’s unfair to criticize them for not rejecting the plan.
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Imasuen, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, argued that the LP lawmakers are too few in number to prevent the majority of lawmakers from proceeding with the luxury vehicle purchase.
The controversy surrounding the purchase of SUVs by National Assembly members during a period of economic hardship has sparked widespread public outrage.
The LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, has publicly called on LP members in the National Assembly to refrain from participating in what he termed “profligate spending,” which he viewed as insensitive and wasteful, contrary to the principles of the Labour Party, a party that prides itself on being pro-people.
Imasuen, representing Edo Central in the Senate, clarified that the LP lawmakers in the Senate amount to only eight out of 109 senators, making it virtually impossible for them to influence the majority to abandon the plan to purchase luxury vehicles.
Imasuen explained, “We can only say what we believe is the right thing to do in the parliament; we are just eight senators, amid 109 senators. So, those who have zeroed in on Labour Party senators, I think it is very unfair. Assuming 109 vehicles are given to senators and eight rejected them, can you please tell me what significance that will be to the budget or the overall image of the National Assembly?”
The LP senator further pointed out that senators are traditionally offered the right of first refusal for these vehicles after their tenure.
If senators decline to purchase the vehicles, they return to the Senate for continued use as working vehicles for lawmakers.
Imasuen noted that the LP senators would vote against the purchase if given the chance, but their minority would not prevent the majority from proceeding with the plan.
