Buhari rejects N400m armoured cars

In from Chukwuma Michael

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected five new armoured Mercedes S-600 (V222) cars valued at N400 million as part of his efforts to ensure fiscal discipline in the polity,

Sources in the Presidency told Ripples that a proposal for the purchase of the cars was brought to President Buhari by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emodi, at a briefing on Wednesday.

An astonished Buhari stated that there was no need to procure such expensive cars when there was nothing wrong with the one he is presently using.

The President told Emodi that the ones he inherited from former President Goodluck Jonathan were still good enough for his use.

“I don’t need any new cars. The ones I’m using now are just fine,” a source at the briefing quoted the president as saying.

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu, who confirmed the rejection, said the President’s stance was in line with his commitment to prudence in the management of the nation’s resources.

Read also: Shehu denies plans to sell presidential aircraft

Shehu also said that President Buhari will continue to use the cars left behind by former President Jonathan and has withheld approval for their replacement.

It was learnt that the proposal to procure the new cars was first made to Jonathan before he left office, but he directed, however, that it be represented to President Buhari for approval on his assumption of office since the cars could only be delivered some months after the May 29 handover date.

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