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Bankole's fraudulent inflation of prices of 380 Peugeot cars

January 1, 2009

December 22, 2008

The Chairman
Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related offences Commission (ICPC)
Plot 802 Constitution Avenue
Central Business District
Abuja

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Sir,

FRAUDULENT INFLATION OF PRICES OF 380 PEUGEOT CARS, BULLET PROOF VEHICLES AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT PURCHASED BY THE LEADERSHIP OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: NEED FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.

1.    In the last three months, the public has been inundated with another spate of monumental corruption at the National Assembly.  Like the last one before it, accusing fingers were pointed at the disgraced former speaker of House Representatives, Hon.  Patricia Olubunmi Ette, which led to her impeachment.


2.    This time around, it is sad and quite unfortunate that the same accusing fingers are directed to the incumbent Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole.

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3.    The inflation of prices of the 380 Peugeot 407 cars already at the public domain.  Why should the management of National Assembly and the leadership of House of Representative buy vehicles at costs far above publicly recommended prices?  Why should a car publicly sold at N6,000,000 per unit by Peugeot Automobile Nigeria be sold to the National Assembly at N6,200,000.00  To worsen the situation, the quoted N6.2m cars which are 407 (Automatic) were not supplied, rather much cheaper model was supplied and accepted by the Leadership of the House Management and of National Assembly headed by Hon. Dimeji Bankole and Ibrahim Nasir Arab respectively.

4.    The difference per unit of car supplied is N1,109,175.  This translates to a total of N420,486,500 either overpaid to PAN or misappropriated by National Assembly management and House Leadership.

5.    The questions which arise are; why should PAN supplied vehicles other than the ones quoted to National Assembly?  Why should NASS accept a different specification and at the same price?  Has PAN refunded the balance of N420,486, 500 to NASS? If yes, where is the money?  If not, why is the company withholding pubic money?

6.    Sir, you may also wish to note that VAT on these vehicles was paid twice.  First was at the point of purchase of the vehicles from PAN.  The second VAT was paid directly to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).  If the additional VAT payment is added to the already inflated price of the cars, the unaccounted fund will come up to N5,460,825, up from N420,486,500.00.  It is the responsibility of the anti-corruption agencies like EFCC to get to the root of the matter, in order to recover the last kobo of the above unaccounted fund.

7.    The Commission should also investigate the purchase of bullet proof vehicles for the Speaker, House of Representatives, his Deputy and other principal officers of the House.  The N500m spent on the purchase of television sets and laptops should also be investigated against the real prices in the open market.

8.    Members of this movement are worried about the consequences of not investigating these cases on account of conspiracy of silence.

9.    Our people in Niger Delta region are dying of preventable and curable diseases.  Children are at home because their parents can’t afford to pay their school fees.  Our youths have been driven into the creeks and bushes for fighting for their rights.  Why should Nigerians be suffering and dying in the midst of plenty?

10.    Corrupt but highly placed government officials have been shamelessly and greedily dipping their hands in our common till and have always bought the conscience of security agents and the courts with their ill-gotten wealth.  This particular case will not go the way of the others.

11.    Sir, we implore you to use your good offices to treat petition with all the seriousness it deserves, so that we are not compelled to resort to self help which will further damage the image of Nigeria.

12.    We are looking forward to a speedy and painstaking investigation.

13.    Accept the assurances of the Movement’s highest regards, please.

Onengiye Elekima - President

Cc:
The President C-in-C
The vice President
The Senate President
The Speaker, House of Representatives
The Chairman Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Governors of Nine Niger Delta States and their Housed Assembly
Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes
Senate Committee Chairman on Transparency
House Committee Chairman on Ant-Corruption and Financial Crimes
House Committee Chairman on Transparency
Hon. Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta
Inspector General of Police
DG SSS
Transparency International

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