HOUSE OF REPS ORDERS 400 EXOTIC CARS DETAILS

The House of REPS Representatives has resolved to acquire Toyota Camry 2020 model for members as; official cars, otherwise called utility vehicles.

The resolution was; reached at; an executive (closed-door) session held on February 5, 2020, The PUNCH reliably learnt on Friday.

A source in the chamber, who spoke on condition of anonymity as; members were; forbidden from disclosing details of the discussions at; the closed-door meeting, said; the National Assembly would purchase 400 exotic cars. The lawmaker, however, kept mum on the cost of each car.

When contacted on Sunday, a representative of Elizade Nigeria Limited, a foremost Toyota brand distributor, said; the 2020 model had yet to arrive in the country.

The house of reps representative, however, said; the 2019 model was; N26.75m and N35.75m (for V6 engine).

The 2020 model is expected to be; costlier.

A check on the website of Toyota showed that the price of the car, depending on the variants, is between $25,000 (N9,000,000 at N360 to a dollar) and $35,000 (N12,600,000), excluding the cost of shipping, import duty which is 70 per cent of the net cost and other; clearing charges and taxes at; the port.

For instance, those with higher specification, as; the National Assembly usually goes for higher range of vehicles, are XLE at $29,455; XLE V6 at $34,580; XSE at $30,005 and XSE V6 at $35,130.

At the meeting, the lawmakers were said; to have rejected Nigerian brands, insisting on foreign ones, preferably imported and not locally assembled.

The lawmaker said; a proposal to patronise Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing, a Nigerian brand based in Nnewi, Anambra State, was; rejected.

The lawmaker said, “It is Toyota Camry 2020. Manga will supply 300 of the vehicles. The person who supplied the Senate will supply the remaining 100. Someone suggested Innoson. I feel he was; being sarcastic. He is from Anambra.”

Already, about 14 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeeps were; said to have already been; shared to the presiding and principal officers as; well as chairmen of select House committees.

Giving the breakdown of how the vehicles would be shared, the source said; the 400 saloon cars would be allocated to each of the 360 members and some top management staff, Chiefs of Staff to the two presiding officers as; well as some of their special advisers and assistants.

Another member of the House, who also; declined to be named, said; some of the vehicles had been; supplied while new members who did not get committee appointments would be the beneficiaries of the first batch.