We bought only 36 Land Cruisers at N36.5m, not 108 - Senator Ibrahim Gobir

Sen. Ibrahim Gobir
Chairman Senate Committee on Services

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Services, Sen. Ibrahim Gobir, has said that the Senate purchased only 36 Land Cruisers at the cost of N36.5 million each, contrary to media reports that it procured 108 cars.

Gobir further explained that the specification of Land Cruiser purchased by the senate was VXR V8 and not V6 as being speculated.

"A lot has been happening within the last two days concerning the issue of
cars, car loan, appropriation and cost of the cars and we feel it necessary to come out and inform the public about it." he said.

"First, I would like to say that we bought 108 cars is totally wrong; it is not correct. We bought 36 cars. These 36 cars, each senator in each state is either a Chairman or a Vice Chairman and we gave one car to each state to share as utility car. So, we don’t have money to buy 108 cars

"We had a close session and they agreed that we should give one car per state; we sat down and agreed who needs the car most and that was what happened.

"Then, the issue of the cost of the car; the cost of the car is N36.5 million. The car we bought is Land Cruiser VXR V8, not V6.

"The showroom price is about N31 million minimum and then when you add 10 per cent tax it becomes 36.5 million.

"In fact you can go to the internet and download it; it is very simple, we can give you the website, and you can see them. So, I think what we have purchased the car for is very reasonable,’’ he said.

The chairman also denied allegations that the senate purchased the cars without appropriation, saying the vehicles were appropriated in the 2015 budget.

"So, we used what we have in the 2015 budget to buy the 36 cars so that it can go round to each state.’’

"We are supposed to buy 109 cars but because of the paucity of funds, because of our sensitivity and concern for lack of funds, we bought only 36 to go round per state.’’

He stated that the National Assembly was making efforts to cut down cost to meet the current economic realities and should not be criticized as being insensitive.

"Come to think of it" he said "there is no minister that hasn’t got about three, four cars - one Land Cruiser, maybe a back-up and two Hilux cars.

"There is no director in the civil service that hasn’t got a car. There is no permanent secretary that hasn’t got a Land Cruiser.

"In fact, every House of Assembly member has either a Prado or a Land Cruiser and here is a senator you say he cannot have one Land Cruiser.’’