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Senate justifies exotic vehicles for members, says Nigerian roads bad
The Senate has justified the purchase of 360 Sports Utility Vehicles for its members.
The Red Chamber was, however, silent on the actual cost of each vehicle but explained that members preferred the imported SUVs to locally manufactured ones.
Earlier, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the lawmakers from taking delivery of the SUVs pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organisation.
The group’s applications for interim and interlocutory injunction followed reports that members of the House of Representatives are set to procure and take delivery of SUVs valued at N57.6 billion. According to reports, each of the SUVs would cost about N160 million.
Reacting to the development at a news conference on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Committee on Senate Services, Sunday Karimi, noted that Nigerians were picking on lawmakers but ignoring ministers who got about four official vehicles.
Karimi said, “Somebody that is a minister has more than three Land Cruisers, Prado and other vehicles and you are not asking them questions, why us?
“These vehicles that you see, go to Nigeria roads today, If I go home once, my senatorial district, I come back spending a lot on my vehicles because our roads are bad.
“I said the decision that we took on using Land Cruiser is the cost and durability.”
He explained further, “Before they came up with this. It is not the decisions of the senators alone, we analysed arriving at Land Cruisers.
“It was based on a comparative analysis of the cost of technical issues and durability on Nigerian roads.
” We want something that we can maintain for another four years and the issue of buying vehicles from the National Assembly, you know it is a recurring issue, it occurs every assembly, it will always come up. “
The lawmaker further explained that even at the state level, assembly members had access to official vehicles.
Karimi added, “If you got to state Houses of Assembly today, check out, most of them before they were even inaugurated, the governor would have bought vehicles waiting for them even local government chairmen.
“I drove the vehicle my local government chairman uses, so why the National Assembly?”
Justifying the high cost of the vehicles, Karimi said it was because the National Assembly owed the suppliers about N16bn.
He said, “I am the chairman of, the senate service. When I came into the senate, when they gave me their liability, they had a liability of over N16 billion that is made up of different vehicles of the 7th, 8th and 9th Assemblies.
“If you are a businessman and you supply vehicles for somebody in 2014 or 2015 or so and up till now they owed you.
“I am not trying to defend anybody, if you see them selling Land Cruisers in the market let’s say it is A cost, you don’t expect somebody that will supply it to supply it at the price they are selling it in the market.
“It has to leave a margin and the civil service for supply allowed for 25% margin plus that and VAT and I think that VAT is 7.5. Out of that 25% margin, they will still remove 5% tax from it.
“It has to leave a margin and the civil service for supply allowed for 25% margin plus that and VAT and I think that VAT is 7.5. Out of that 25% margin, they will still remove 5% tax from it.
“You are telling someone to supply and he may even not end up making payment for three years and you want him to supply at the price they are selling in the market, it is not possible.”
News
Eko Electricity blames Lekki-Ajah power outages on feeders disruption
The following feeders are currently out of supply: Ibeju, Ajah Local 1, Medallion Data, Urban Prime, Main One, Maroko, Chevron, Oke-Ira, Ikate Express, Ilasan, NTDA 1, Eleko,” the company said.
Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) has announced a power outage across parts of Lagos, including Lekki, Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki, following a loss of supply affecting 12 feeders.
The affected feeders are Ibeju, Ajah Local 1, Medallion Data, Urban Prime, Main One, Maroko, Chevron, Oke-Ira, Ikate Express, Ilasan, NTDA 1 and Eleko.
In a notice to customers, EKEDP said the VGC, Oke-Ira and Agungi injection substations were also affected by the disruption.
The distribution company attributed the outage to a fault affecting electricity supply within the Lekki, Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki axis.
The following feeders are currently out of supply: Ibeju, Ajah Local 1, Medallion Data, Urban Prime, Main One, Maroko, Chevron, Oke-Ira, Ikate Express, Ilasan, NTDA 1, Eleko,” the company said.
EKEDP said it was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to restore the affected transformer and reconnect all the impacted feeders.
News
IGP Disu Launches Nigeria Police Force Vigilant App, for Tracking Crimes
” The police cannot be everywhere at the same time, but through technology and partnership with the citizens, we can significantly expand our capability to prevent and respond to crimes,” he noted.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has launched the Nigeria Police Force Vigilant App as part of efforts to strengthen public engagement, internal communication and the fight against increasingly sophisticated crimes.
Disu also unveiled MTN Closed User Group (CUG) Network for strengthening communication among police commands, formations, divisions and specialised units nationwide.
Speaking during the launch ceremony in Abuja, IGP Disu said that the changing nature of crime and the speed at which information travels have made it necessary for the police to embrace technology.
The policing environment is changing rapidly. Crime is becoming more sophisticated. Information moves faster, and citizens increasingly expect public institutions to be accessible and respond to technology,”said Disu.
He explained that the Vigilant App was designed to improve communication between the police and members of the public by enhancing information sharing and citizen engagement.
The IGP urged Nigerians to use the platform responsibly to report suspicious activities, provide useful information and seek assistance when necessary .
Disu also charged officers managing the platform to operate with professionalism and integrity, stressing that information received through the system must be handled responsibly, investigated diligently and protected appropriately.
“The police cannot be everywhere at the same time, but through technology and partnership with the citizens, we can significantly expand our capability to prevent and respond to crimes,” he noted.
Disu observed that effective communication often determines the success of operations, emergency responses and investigations.
“In policing, information delayed can be information lost,” the IGP declared.
News
Edo Influential Politician, Daniel Orbih, dies at 64 •Obaseki mourns
Obaseki said Orbih’s contributions to Nigerian politics and the PDP remained significant, particularly during his years of service in Edo.
•Chief Daniel Osi Orbih
Chief Daniel Osi Orbih, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is dead, aged 64.
Orbih, known by his traditional title, the Kulukulu 1 of Ogoni Land and Oduma of Uzairue, reportedly died on Monday, 31st August 2026.
His death was confirmed in a statement issued by his family and signed by Francis Udukhomoi Orbih, Esq., on behalf of the Orbih family.
Orbih was born on the 27th of October, 1961, to Chief and Mrs M.C.K. Orbih of Ogbona in Etsako Central Local Government.
He ventured into politics in 1999, and was the deputy governorship candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP) in Edo State, describing Orbih as a prominent figure and influential voice in Edo politics.
Condolences
Former governor of Edo, Godwin Obaseki, lamented that Orbih ‘s death represents a significant loss to Edo.
Obaseki said Orbih’s contributions to Nigerian politics and the PDP remained significant, particularly during his years of service in Edo.
“For many years, he provided leadership to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State as its State Chairman and subsequently served as the PDP National Vice Chairman, South-South.
“Through these roles, he contributed significantly to the development of the party in the Edo State and Nigeria, ” he said.
He emphasised that the former PDP chairman’s death represented a significant loss to Edo State and Nigeria, while commiserating with his family, friends and political associates.
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