“Senator Defends Controversy: SUVs for National Assembly Members – A Tradition, Not a New Phenomenon, Says APC Representative!”

Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, has defended the purchase of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for members of the National Assembly, arguing that such a move is not new.

News recently filtered in that 469 lawmakers in the federal legislature would be getting an SUV valued at N160m.

But Ndume believes the development could be more novel, maintaining that public servants always have official vehicles.

“Buying vehicles for public or civil servants is not a new thing. It is only as you, said, ‘What are the implications? What is the cost, and what are the alternatives?

“But for me, I come to serve, and in serving the people, my major constitutional rule is oversight and making laws.

“If I have to do that effectively, then I need a vehicle that would enable me to do that effectively. That is what I think is the idea behind buying the vehicles.

“But it is not new that public servants, especially in the rank of ministers, and heads of parastatals get vehicles,” he said on Channels Television.

The senator representing Borno South senatorial district, however, said over the years, the cost of buying such vehicles has continued to rise.