Senator Defends Lawmakers Over Vehicle Procurement

Senator Yemi Adaramodu has stated that lawmakers played no part in the procurement of official vehicles and should not face blame for related legal disputes.

Speaking on the controversy surrounding the National Assembly vehicle procurement, Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said senators neither participated in nor controlled the process of purchasing official vehicles. He explained that the responsibility lies entirely with the administrative structure of the National Assembly.

According to the lawmaker, the institution’s bureaucracy decides the type of vehicles required, oversees procurement and assigns them for legislative and committee duties. He stressed that no official vehicle is registered in the name of any senator and that all such assets remain government property throughout a legislator’s time in office.

Yemi Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South Senatorial District, added that lawmakers may only acquire these vehicles after leaving office and through approved government procedures and payment arrangements. He maintained that any legal challenge linked to the procurement exercise should target the departments responsible for carrying out the transactions rather than elected legislators.

The senator’s remarks followed a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lagos, which declared the controversial N110 billion vehicle procurement and allowance scheme unlawful. The case was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, acting on behalf of members of both legislative chambers.

In his judgment delivered on May 6, Justice Bogoro directed the National Assembly leadership to ensure future procurement and spending processes comply fully with due process, transparency, accountability and value for money principles.

The court also ruled that lawmakers benefited from expenditure they approved, creating a conflict of interest. The judge further noted that allocating N110 billion during a period of economic hardship showed a failure to prioritise national interest and undermined the fiduciary obligations of public office holders.

Do you think lawmakers should bear responsibility for spending decisions approved by institutions from which they benefit?