•Peter Obi
ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25th election, Peter Obi has condemned the allocation of about N60bn for the purchase of SUV vehicles for legislators, saying nobody would have contemplated that under his Presidency.
Obi, speaking through a statement released on Wednesday by the Obi-Datti Media Office, said spine doctors have been on duty trying to twist and confuse the Nigerian public on what the he said at a press conference on Monday concerning the controversial purchase of SUV vehicles claiming that he even endorsed it.
But at the press briefing, Obi said he was unequivocal in condemning it and said that his Presidency would have shut down the idea as it’s inauspicious at a time when Nigeria is facing developmental problems.
He explained that in Nigeria today, healthcare has collapsed, leading to “our infant mortality surpassing that of India which is seven times our population.”
He said that allocating funds that might be more than what is put for the healthcare budget to buying vehicles for 400 persons is the height of insensitivity especially when most of them, ex-governors, ex-senators, and ministers have many cars parked in their homes’ carriages
“For you now to use funds that are higher than funds allocated to primary healthcare to buy a car for 400 people is very troubling and shows the height of insensitivity. I will not do it as President of Nigeria”, he said.
Obi further expatriated his position that “there is even a way we can buy a more competitive vehicle for them even from locally made firms.”
The LP standard bearer said that given the hardship in the country “it is time we shaped our responsibilities towards what is happening.”
As a former Governor of Anambra State Obi went further to explain how he handled similar situations. He negotiated for concessionaire pricing for 60 Peugeot 406 saloon vehicles which were enough for judges, permanent secretaries, newly appointed commissioners, the deputy governor, and himself the governor.
Obi even challenged the public to go and verify the story with the motor company that had a French man,
Mr Eric Maydieu, AGM Commercial, Peugeot Automobile Nig Ltd (PAN) in charge then.
On whether he has discussed this with LP legislators to buy into his vision on it, Obi said that he has actually done that and they said “it’s an official car for their duty for personal ownership but under my watch nobody would have contemplated it at this time Nigerians are facing horrifying life due to poor management of our economy.”
