N160m SUVs: Had Labour Party been in office nobody would have contemplated such – Peter Obi

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has addressed the calls urging members of his party to decline the N160 million SUVs intended for the National Assembly members.

The National Assembly had plans to procure Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs valued at N160 million. This move has drawn criticism from Nigerians, who perceive it as a display of insensitivity given the country’s ongoing economic challenges.

During a press conference on Monday, November 6, Obi was questioned about why members of his party have not rejected these SUVs.

In response, the former Anambra state governor stated that he was informed that the vehicles are meant solely for official purposes and are expected to be returned upon leaving office. He added that the scenario would have been different if the Labour Party had won the presidential election.

”Let me start with the issue of Labour Party members in the House, I have actually discussed this issue with them. I heard that these vehicles are official cars which means they have to make use of them while in office. So it is not as if it is their vehicle. They are meant to use them while they’re in the Senate but you know how things work here. It’s not going to be like that. But what I tell people is that had Labour been in office[won the presidency] nobody would have contemplated such. It is not enough to do the wrong thing and start correcting it but it shouldn’t even be. That is why people are saying the issue of Yacht have been withdrawn, it should not even be mentioned in the first place because it touches on the sensibilities of people to do that.” he said