By Abiola Olawale
Amid the economic hardship grappling the citizens of the country, the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has expended a huge amount of Naira on the procurement of 24 brand-new Toyota Fortuner SUVs for members of the Kebbi State House of Assembly.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Kebbi State House of Assembly, as reported by the Governor on X, where he commended the lawmakers for their diligence.
He tweeted: “I am honored to fulfill my promise by distributing 24 First Class Toyota Jeeps to the dedicated members of the Kebbi State House of Assembly for their official engagements. Today, at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, I personally presented these vehicles, expressing gratitude for the Assembly’s cooperation and understanding.
The harmonious working relationship between the Executive Arm and the Assembly has been paramount. In the spirit of collaboration, I joined the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Usman Muhammad Ankwe, in a test drive of the Jeep allocated to him. Let this be a symbol of our commitment to serving the people of Kebbi State diligently.”
Checks by The New Diplomat reveal that the official price of Toyota Fortuner SUVs is currently selling for £55,440. With the pound currently trading at N2029/ £1, the estimated figure is put at N112,429,204, per car, translating to over N2,698,300,896 spent on the procurement of the 24 SUVs.
This has been causing a massive outcry on social media, as many have knocked the governor for lacking empathy. Several Nigerians have berated the governor for incurring such expenses amid the current economic hardships involving naira devaluation and forex crisis.
Some users on X lamented that the government was also not supporting local made-in-Nigeria vehicle manufacturers. The controversy surrounding the distribution has ignited discussions about fiscal responsibility and resource allocation in the face of economic challenges
Below here are some of the reactions curated from X;
“Dear Northern Masses,
Majority of our politicians do not value us. How can you choose this difficult time to buy SUVs for political office holders using state resources?
A state like Kebbi, which has over 50% poverty rate, and also ranked worst – 37 of 37 states and FCT – in the overall quality of health measured by the Kingmakers’ report, has no business buying such expensive cars for lawmakers.” (@realoilsheikh)
“Public money for “first class” luxury while the people God has allowed to be under you are dying of hunger. In this hardship?! How many tractors would this buy? How many schools? How many hospitals? How many drugs? How much food? Why do you people do this?! Why?,” (@Jollynony)
“I get it. These cars have to be bought; it’s the political game. But why not from PAN in the North? Or Nord in the West or Innoson in the East? These cars are imported, meaning you demanded Yen/Dollars, meaning this purchase caused the Yen/Dollar to get stronger and the Naira weaker. This is net imports, GDP falls, and jobs are exported from Nigeria to Japan. This is why the Naira is weak, not Binance. Please, I am not criticizing you blindly; you are a politician, I know why it is important to keep your Assembly close but you can even mix this and add a few locally made. This purchase is not a top-100 priority for the State. Nigeria has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.” (@Kalu Aja)
“Are they made in Nigeria? If not, you’ve just used Nigerians’ money to create jobs for the Japanese and denied Nigerians the same.” (@Olabode Olajide)
“How much is the minimum wage in Kebbi state? Are pensioners paid promptly? What stopped you from purchasing made-in-Nigeria SUVs? Why are politicians so heartless and wasteful in Nigeria? I blame the poor masses who are not bold enough to take back their country.” (@OlorogunErnest)
“I just checked the cost of one brand new Toyota Fortuner. A Toyota Fortune costs $75,380. Since the current exchange rate is N1500. It means the governor spent N75.5m for one car. Times 24, he spent a total of N1.8bn on cars. Yet, these fellows go around the globe begging for aid.” (@Victor Wolemonwu)
