Why Senate President Bukola Saraki needs new cars to go with his new position needs to be explained to a sceptical public. In a statement on December 13, Senate spokesperson Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said: ”With respect to the official vehicles of the Senate president, it should be noted that the majority of the vehicles in his convoy are his personal vehicles, while some of the vehicles that he inherited, including his official vehicles and the backup car, are so old that they are developing fault and not fit for long journeys. We can recall that on several occasions, his official car broke down. Three instances will suffice here. I remember on a visit to Nasarawa State for a wedding of the daughter of a colleague. Other occasions were at the National Mosque three weeks ago and at the Abuja airport.”
If Saraki’s official cars keep breaking down, as Abdullahi claimed, it raises the question whether the cars also performed poorly when they were being used by the former Senate president, Senator David Mark. If so, why did Mark not make changes? Or is it that the cars were good enough for Mark?
Abdullahi continued: “The implication is that the vehicles in his official convoy are so old that they are causing embarrassment for the Senate. The media should know that a man of his antecedent will not at this point be excited with new cars. His official cars are overdue for replacement.”
He also said of the move to buy new cars for the Senate’s committees: “For those who may want to find out what happened to the ones bought in the past, we cannot expect that after four years, the vehicles will still be in the condition to effectively serve the present committees. The best practice in government institutions and even private organisations is for official vehicles allocated to top officials after four years of use to be sold at the depreciated value.”
What must be done must be done, Abdullahi argued. It didn’t matter what getting new cars for Saraki and others would cost the country. That is the cost of high office. According to him, “we have been very frugal, responsive and responsible in our spending. We have also cut down on several expenses. However, there are certain expenses and purchases that are normal in government and any organisation. The legislature is not an exception.”
When “expenses and purchases” considered “normal” in government appear abnormal to the public, then it is time to reconsider the social contract. Insensitivity to the public’s idea of normalcy is not a legislative virtue.
END
Saraki should tell this story to the marines!