The House had asked for the supply of ST (Sport) Auto from PAN but what was supplied to it was Comfort Automatic which is cheaper.

“The difference, therefore per unit of car supplied is N1,109,175.00. This translates to a total of N421,486,500 overpayment or misappropriated by the House under the leadership of Dimeji Bankole.”

Is it also possible that a huge order of this magnitude would not attract any discount as dealers usually give 10 per cent  to customers who buy one unit? “Would this not apply to 380 units bought directly from PAN?

It would also be useful to find out what rates are given to other government agencies by PAN and why the National Assembly did not enjoy this. Or is it that a discount was given, but some persons enjoyed the benefit personally?”

The above is the kernel of the petition filed by Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo yesterday to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The lawyer has threatened that should the Speaker of the House of Representatives and its leadership failed to explain to Nigerians how more than N500m was stolen from the coffers of the National Assembly within 72 hours, he would petition the EFFC.

Keyamo in the petition addressed to the Executive Chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Waziri and made available to Saturday Vanguard said he was writing the petition bearing in mind Waziri’s pledge on assumption of office that there shall be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.

Entitled  Petition against Dimeji Bankole and the Leadership of the house of Representatives over Fraud Perpetuated in the Supply of 380 cars, the young Lagos lawyer explained the genesis of the car purchase of the 380 Peugeot 407 cars for the oversight of the committees. Reps had passed the resolution for the purchase of the cars December 12, 2007.

A memo to this effect was therefore raised the next day, December 13 and the Speaker had approved the memo and sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly for action, Keyamo went on..

“However, this transaction was designed as a conduit pipe to siphon public money,” Keyamo wrote.

Listing PAN’s recommended  three types of Peugeot 407 cars public price list  from 1st January, 2006 which shows the different prices of 407 Saloon Premium Pack (Automatic), the 407 Premium (Manual) and the Comfort (Automatic), the lawyer aid, “These three types have 2.0 litre engines and have a price tag of N6,000,000, N5,600,000 and N5,100,000 respectively, all inclusive of VAT.

“On the 21st of December, 2007, PAN submitted a pro_forma invoice for 380 units of 407 ST Sports (auto) valued at N2,359,486,500 which makes the cost of each unit N6,209,175.”

Based on this price,  Clerk to the National Assembly awarded the contract for the supply of 380 units of 407 ST (Sports) Auto to PAN at the amount quoted by PAN. On the 3rd of January, 2008 the contract was accepted by PAN vide a letter of 23rd January, 2008, said the lawyer with attached copies to his petition.

He went on  to say that “Annexures 7, 8 & 9 to this letter shows that the House paid the total sum of N2,359,486,500 to PAN as quoted by the company in Annexure 4.

“Interestingly, what the company quoted is not what was eventually supplied. What the company quoted for was the 407 ST Sport (Automatic) at a unit price of N6,209,175 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Five Naira). What was eventually supplied was the 407 Comfort Automatic which is shown in Annexure 3 to be worth N5,100,000.00 (Five Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira).

The difference, therefore per unit of car supplied is N1,109,175.00 (One Million, One Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Five Naira). This translates to a total of (Four Hundred and Twenty One Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) overpayment or misappropriated by the House under the leadership of Dimeji Bankole.”

Keyamo said in its presentation PAN, had  stated that it was offering the 407 S7 Sports Pack which features include Rear Parking aid, Leather seats, Automatic Folding side mirrors.

But “ the cars delivered to the National Assembly have fabric seats, do not have rear parking aids and definitely do not have automatic folding side mirrors. These cars are not the top of the range and are not Peugeot 407 ST Pack Sports auto and would not fit the description 407 Premium Pack Automatic.

The fact is that what was delivered was the 407 Comfort Automatic and the price differential between the two ranges is about N1,109,175.00

(One Million, One Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Five Naira) as stated earlier, “ the lawyer wrote.

“Another curious thing about this transaction shows that the total amount for the contract, that is the sum of N2,359,486,500 (Two Billion, Three Hundred and Fifty_Nine Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira), includes VAT. In the various payment vouchers (Annexure 7, 8 & 9) VAT was clearly included, which came up to N117,974,325.00 (One Hundred and Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty Five Naira).

“Interestingly, it would appear that the House went behind again to pay the same amount directly to the Federal Inland Revenue Services. Why pay twice for V.A.T? This obviously needs some explanations.

If you add the additional payment for V.A.T to the over_inflated cost of cars that were actually supplied, it would mean a total of N539,460,825 (Five Hundred and Thirty Nine Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Naira) appears to have been fraudulently removed from the accounts of the National Assembly,” the petition stated.

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