Civil society organisations and opposition parties in Kebbi State have criticised the state House of Assembly for donating 25 vehicles to the Tinubu/Kaura 2 Terms (TKT) campaign group, a political movement aimed at securing re-election for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Nasir Idris in 2027.

The donated vehicles are Opel Zafira 2000 models, each estimated to cost between N3.5 million and N6 million, according to price listings on Cars45.com.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Muhammad Usman-Zuru, who handed over the vehicles to the campaign group on behalf of the 25-member assembly, described the donation as a fulfillment of a pledge made during the group?s inauguration on May 20, 2025.

Usman-Zuru said the assembly had every reason to support the APC and its leaders, citing what he described as Governor Idris?s excellent performance and President Tinubu?s support for Kebbi State.

?The essence of governance is the delivery of dividends of democracy to the citizenry, and Governor Nasir Idris has delivered beyond expectations across all areas of human endeavour,? he said.

?He has fulfilled almost all his 2023 election campaign promises to the people of Kebbi. On the other hand, President Tinubu has been magnanimous to Kebbi, which reinforces our belief that he is the right person to continue to steer the affairs of our nation.?

According to him, each of the 25 lawmakers donated one vehicle as part of their personal commitment to the campaign group. He also commended Governor Idris for maintaining a cordial relationship with the legislature and pledged continued legislative support for the administration?s policies and programmes.

However, the donation has triggered outrage among civil society actors and political opponents, who questioned its timing, propriety, and funding source.

The Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Kebbi State, Comrade Ibrahim Ngaski, described the donation as shocking and insensitive, given the socio-economic challenges confronting the state.

?Looking at the situation on the ground, this is not the way to go. We are facing insecurity, poverty, man-made disasters, and a high number of out-of-school children. The funds spent on these 25 vehicles could have been better used to address these pressing challenges,? Ngaski said.

He added that each lawmaker?s constituency faces its own development problems. ?Even if the vehicles were purchased from their salaries, it?s still taxpayers? money. It should have been channelled into addressing developmental needs within their constituencies,? he argued.

Abdullahi Mustapha, a member of the Coalition of Political Parties in the state, also criticised the gesture, urging the lawmakers to prioritise public welfare over partisan politics.

?With the level of poverty and hardship in Kebbi, the assembly members should not be spending money on vehicles for political campaigns,? he said. ?This shows a lack of empathy for the people they were elected to serve.?

Receiving the vehicles, the Director-General of the TKT campaign group, Alhaji Abdulrahman Manga, thanked the assembly members for honouring their pledge and supporting the campaign. He disclosed that the group had so far received a total of 70 vehicles, including the ones donated by the lawmakers.

He assured the legislators that the vehicles would be used strictly for campaign purposes. ?We have trained drivers who have undergone a series of road safety and defensive driving seminars. The vehicles will be used in line with the group?s objectives,? Manga said. (Daily Trust)

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