Nigeria’s Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has defended the procurement of luxury vehicles for federal lawmakers, insisting that the vehicles were not purchased as personal assets but as official tools to support legislative and constituency duties.
Bamidele made the clarification during a media briefing on Monday while reacting to a Federal High Court ruling in Lagos that declared aspects of the National Assembly’s N110 billion vehicle procurement and allowance scheme unlawful.
The lawsuit, filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), challenged the use of public funds for the purchase of luxury cars for lawmakers at a time of widespread economic hardship.
The court ruled that the expenditure violated procurement laws and principles of public accountability, ordering that future spending must strictly follow due process and demonstrate transparency and value for money.
The vehicle purchases, made at the beginning of the 10th National Assembly in 2023, included Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs for senators and Toyota Prado SUVs for members of the House of Representatives, reportedly costing over ₦100 million each.
Defending the arrangement, Bamidele said the vehicles are official government property meant for constituency work and could be withdrawn after lawmakers leave office. He added that similar provisions exist across other arms of government, where senior officials such as ministers and permanent secretaries also receive official vehicles.
He further argued that misunderstandings about lawmakers’ remuneration often fuel public criticism, stressing that legislators do not determine their own salaries, which are set by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
Bamidele also called for full public disclosure of the earnings of all public office holders, including ministers and lawmakers, suggesting that transparency would help resolve ongoing debates about political remuneration in Nigeria.
However, the controversy around lawmakers’ earnings persists, with conflicting claims about monthly income when allowances and “running costs” are included, further fueling public concern amid rising inflation, poverty, and economic hardship.
The RMAFC has previously stated that senators earn just over ₦1 million monthly in official salary and allowances, but some lawmakers have claimed significantly higher total earnings when additional benefits are factored in.
The latest debate adds to long-standing public criticism of legislative spending, particularly the procurement of luxury vehicles, which many Nigerians argue is inconsistent with prevailing economic realities.
