Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili has strongly criticized the leadership of the Nigeria National Assembly.
The Assembly’s spokesperson Rotimi Akin, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the purchase of 109 Toyota Land Cruisers for senators and 2023 Toyota Prados for 360 House of Representatives members, costing N100 million each.
Reacting on her X handle, Ezekwesili expressed her anger saying that using scarce public funds on luxury cars while citizens struggle to afford food, transportation, education and health care due to the ongoing living crisis shows a disregard for responsible spending.
She said, “I read the extremely ludicrous and duplicitous statement released by the Spokesman of the @HouseNGR on their insensitive purchase of 360 Toyota SUVs for themselves.
“You all had the audacity to spend scarce public resources on luxury cars at a time majority of your citizens cannot feed, transport themselves, pay school fees and hospital bills due to cost of living crisis? At this stage, it is evident you want to continue with your serial bad behavior.
“Since not even 1 of you fellows @nassnigeria @HouseNGR @NGRSenate saw the heartlessness of that decision to buy 360 new Toyota SUVs for yourselves at this time of severe economic distress of the citizens and country, please know that you all are the biggest threat to our Democracy.'”
She also warned lawmakers that their actions could lead to citizens uniting to remove “irresponsible and insensitive individuals from office.”
Ezekwesili also clarified that she never bought any personal vehicles while heading the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Mineral Resources.
Kanyi Daily recalls that Oby Ezekwesili had also reacted to the arraignment of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, by the Department of State Services (DSS).