.As HURIWA condemns National Assembly’s lavish SUV distribution
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the House of Representatives from procuring and taking delivery of N57.6bn 360 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for its members, pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organization.”
SERAP’s applications for interim and interlocutory injunction followed reports that the lawmakers are set to procure and take delivery of N57.6 billion SUVs. According to reports, each of the SUVs would cost taxpayers at least N160 million.
In the applications filed last week, SERAP is seeking “an order of interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from procuring, taking delivery and distributing the SUVs to their members, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an order of interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously in this suit.”
SERAP is also seeking “such further order(s) that the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this suit.”
It would be recalled that SERAP in August filed the suit number FHC/L/CS/1606/2023 before the Federal High Court challenging “the legality of the spending of billions of naira by the National Assembly to purchase exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.”
SERAP has also sent an open letter to President Bola Tinubu urging him to “put pressure on the leadership of the House of Representatives and stop members from taking delivery of 360 sports utility vehicles (SUVs), pending the hearing and determination of the application for interim injunction.”
In the letter dated 21 October 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation also urged the president to “put pressure on the leadership of the Senate and stop members from taking delivery of the planned procurement of bulletproof SUVs, pending the hearing and determination of the application for interim injunction filed before the Federal High Court.”
The letter, read in part: “Allowing the National Assembly to go ahead and purchase and take delivery of the SUVs would prejudice the outcome of the suit pending in court and make a mockery of the rule of law.”
“Unless you exercise your executive powers and discharge your constitutional oath of office act as recommended, the lawmakers would go ahead to procure and take delivery of the N57.6 billion vehicles, and thereby present the court with a fait accompli.”
“It would invariably hamstring the ability of the court to do justice in the pending suit and applications for injunction.”
“Stopping the leadership of the House of Representatives and members from going ahead to procure and take delivery of the SUVs, pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction would be entirely consistent with the notions of the rule of law, judicial independence and integrity and the public interest.”
“Exercising your constitutional powers in this matter would promote the effective administration of justice and maintain the integrity of the claims against the lawmakers.”
“Allowing the House of Representatives to procure and take delivery of the 360 SUVs for its members and the Senate to go ahead with its planned purchase of close to 500 SUVs while the applications for injunction are pending before the court would be detrimental to the rule of law and the public interest.”
“It would also be incompatible with the constitutional oath of office. The constitutional oath of office under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), imposes clear responsibility on you to uphold and maintain the provisions of the constitution and the rule of law.”
“In its most basic form, the rule of law is the principle that no one is above the law. Also, section 5 of the Nigerian Constitution grants you the execute powers to ensure the ‘execution and maintenance of this Constitution’.”
“The country’s international legal obligations especially under the UN Convention against Corruption and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party also impose a legal commitment on your government to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the judicial process.”
“We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken upon the receipt and/or publication of this letter.”
. HURIWA condemns national assembly’s lavish SUV distribution
However, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a resounding denunciation of the National Assembly’s recent distribution of 496 brand-new SUVs, each valued at a staggering N160 million, to its members.
In a statement issued on Sunday, this prominent civil rights and pro-democracy group not only labeled this action as an extravagant display of wealth by elected representatives but also characterized it as a severe affront to the Nigerian people and a grave injustice to the masses grappling with dire poverty.
The statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, asserted that the elected representatives, instead of addressing the severe poverty afflicting their constituents, had chosen to indulge in a reckless pursuit of personal aggrandizement, effectively betraying the trust placed in them by the Nigerian people.
“This act is not just an act of self-indulgence; it is an act that highlights the stark disconnect between lawmakers and the plight of the ordinary citizens they were elected to serve. Just last Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics disclosed that Nigeria’s inflation rate has climbed to 26.72 percent, marking a 0.92 percent increase from the previous month’s 25.80 percent”.
Therefore, the organization called for a united front, urging Nigerians from all walks of life to join together and protest against the self-indulgent lifestyle of these legislators. HURIWA argued that the actions of the lawmakers were not just a gross misappropriation of public funds but also had the potential to exacerbate societal issues, including an increase in crime, political assassinations, and various forms of organized criminal activities.
HURIWA went on to aptly describe this situation as the “YAHOO-YAHOO LEGISLATIVE STYLE,” which, according to the rights group, underscored the irony that elected representatives, who had campaigned on promises to enact laws that promote good governance, alleviate poverty, and enhance the welfare of the people, had ultimately resorted to distributing multi-billion Naira worth of palliatives, leaving their constituents in economic hardship.
“Of particular concern was the fact that the National Assembly embarked on this lavish expenditure without offering sustainable alternatives or cushioning measures to mitigate the economic hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidies. With over 133 million Nigerians experiencing multidimensional poverty, the distribution of over N100 billion worth of luxury cars to less than 500 National Assembly members is deemed an unforgivable legislative crime.
Hence, HURIWA firmly condemned this action, labeling it as atrocious, despicable, and reprehensible, characterizing the move as nothing less than economic terrorism and a blatant sabotage of the people’s interests. HURIWA further emphasized that the Nigerian masses deserved better representation, and the time had come for a collective voice to hold elected representatives accountable for their actions.
Also, HURIWA called upon the National Assembly to reconsider this exorbitant decision and redirect these funds to projects that genuinely uplift the lives of the Nigerian people. Additionally, HURIWA urged Nigerians to stand up against this blatant injustice and demand accountability from those who had pledged to serve the public. “It is time for Nigeria to see true leadership that prioritizes the welfare of its citizens over personal enrichment”.
