‘Senate President has always driven the best cars,’ Aide says

monjola sotubo

March 3, 2016 1:05 PM

The Special Adviser to Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Special Duties, Moshood Mustapha made the comment in reaction to the recent outrage over Saraki’s new luxury vehicles said to be worth N330 million.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Special Adviser to Senate President,

Mustapha made the comment in reaction to the recent outrage over Saraki’s new luxury vehicles said to be worth N330 million.

“Saraki had created the most democratised, participatory and rigorous budgeting process as we have all seen,” the Senate President’s aide said according to Daily Trust.

“This is perhaps the most disciplined Senate since 1999 when we have ministerial screening and budget approval process without bribery and other forms of corruption. It is a scandal-free budget process. Nobody has ever said anybody brought money or anything.

“Journalists are also getting carried away by little issues to the detriment of big issues. This has become a national agenda in this era when we have serious national issues like the security challenges, youths’ unemployment, dwindling opportunities for economic growth, abject poverty in the land and collapse of national values.

“How is it the business of the Senate president when the National Assembly management decided to buy vehicles for security personnel, including the SSS and the protocol staff? Is the Senate president going to drive the pick-up or the ambulance and the pilot car or the SSS’ Toyota Prado jeeps?

“Why should we use the issue of vehicles bought by the management to bring down a man of that calibre, without looking at his pedigree?

“As a student, he (the Senate president) drove the best cars, in Nigeria, in the United Kingdom or in any part of the world,” Mustapha added.

Meanwhile, Saraki has formally responded to a letter written by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo criticizing the National Assembly’s plans to purchase 469 vehicles.

monjola sotubo