“We went for Toyota Land Cruiser as Nigerian automakers don’t manufacture vehicles, they assemble them” – Senate.
Says that Nigerian car companies like Innoson and Nord are only buying the vehicle parts and assembling them in Nigeria.
Justifying the purchase of the N160 million off-roading vehicles, it maintained that Nigerian roads are not motorable.
It added that off-road-ready Toyota Land Cruiser 300 SUVs would help them carry out their official duties better.
Recall that the lawmakers opted for foreign-made Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs instead of the cheaper Made-in-Nigeria vehicles.
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The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has giving more insights on the reasons why lawmakers in the National Assembly opted for Japanese made Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series ultra-luxury SUVs instead of Nigerian-made vehicles.
Speaking on the review of the supplementary budget on Arise Television’s Morning show on Friday, Ndume said indigenous automakers, like Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and Nord Automobile, don’t manufacture their vehicles but assemble them.
“The reason why we did not choose Nigerian-made cars is because they don’t manufacture their vehicles, but they assemble them.
“I prefer Nigerian-made products, but the Nigerian car companies are only buying the vehicle parts and assembling them here”.
Speaking on the N160m Toyota Land Cruiser for each lawmaker in the National Assembly, Ndume maintained that Nigerian roads are not motorable, adding that these off-roading vehicles would help them carry out their official duties.
It will be recalled that there was public outcry last month following the decisions of the National Assembly and House of Representatives to procure N100 billion worth of foreign-made Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series SUVs instead of going for cheaper Made-in-Nigeria vehicles that would have helped to grow the Naira.
