Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi, has confirmed that the National Assembly bureaucracy was in the process of procuring and distributing operational vehicles to members in the coming weeks and months.
Rotimi, in a statement on Sunday, said the clarification became imperative following reports in some sections of the media concerning the allocation of vehicles to lawmakers.
He said, “While many versions of this story carry varying exaggerations, we can confirm that the National Assembly bureaucracy is in the phased process of procuring and distributing operational vehicles to honourable members over the coming weeks and months.”
Rotimi noted that this development was in accordance with extant procurement laws and had been the practice in previous assemblies.
He emphasised that it was also not peculiar to the legislature, as unelected government officials in the Executive arm of government from director level and above, in most cases, have official vehicles attached to their offices.
He added: “It is important to make a few clarifications. The vehicles to be allocated to the offices of honourable members are utility operational vehicles tied to their oversight functions in the discharge of their duties in the standing committees. They are not personal vehicles gifted to honourable members.
“For the duration of the 10th assembly (2023 – 2027), the vehicles shall remain the property of the National Assembly. At the expiration of the tenure of the 10th Assembly in 2027, should the extant assets deboarding policy of government still be in place, honourable members may have the option of making payment for the outstanding value of the vehicles to government coffers before they can become theirs, otherwise it remains the property of the National Assembly.”
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
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