Reps’ N6.1bn Exotic Cars Malfunction

Some of the exotic cars delivered to the members of the House of Representatives have developed faults barely 90 days after the automobiles arrived in Abuja......

The majority of the lawmakers, 240 out of the total of 360, took delivery of the Peugeot 508 cars between June and July this year.
The cars, which lawmakers prefer to call “committee or utility vehicles,” belong to the National Assembly, though the members keep them in their homes.


Each unit costs N17m, which amounts to a total of N6.1bn for the 360 units for the 360 members.


Contracts for the supplies were handled by the Chairman, Committee on House Services, Mr. Bashir Baballe-Ila, and officials of the National Assembly.


Investigations showed that members started complaining of faults in the cars just weeks after taking delivery.


“There have been faulty electrical issues and mechanical challenges.

One lawmaker was reported to have abandoned his vehicle at the National Assembly Complex, Annex I, two weeks ago.


It was also gathered another member from one of the South-West states called Baballe-Ila last week and threatened to return the car for a replacement.

Findings by The PUNCH indicated that some lawmakers were beginning to suspect that the cars were fairly used before the committee bought them from the original owners.

The supplier was said to have phased the delivery. But, this means that by December, many members will still be without the cars.
It was gathered that in a bid to address the supply delay, the House Services Committee chairman engaged sub-contractors to deliver more cars.
“Unfortunately, that approach too has not taken us far because as of October 27, many members still didn’t get their cars.

Punch made attempts to get Baballe-Ila to comment on the matter but he failed to respond. Also, text messages sent to him were not replied to.
But, when asked for his reaction on Sunday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas, said that any faulty vehicle would be returned to the supplier because they came with warranty.
Asked the number of members that had received their vehicles so far, Namdas said, “about two-thirds (240) have their cars.”
This implies that up to 120 lawmakers still have no cars for oversight and other duty tours.