The Abia State Government has dismissed claims that it spent ₦1.3 billion on the purchase of two Toyota Hilux trucks, describing the reports as inaccurate.
The State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, clarified that the administration did not engage in such a transaction. He stated that a detailed review of payment records and supporting procurement documents has provided a different account of the expenditure.
According to the Commissioner, the Office of the Accountant-General confirmed that the expenditure of approximately ₦1,003,091,350.00 relates to the procurement of 12 Toyota Hilux vehicles, rather than the two trucks previously alleged in circulating reports.
The clarification comes amid heightened scrutiny of public spending across various state governments in Nigeria, where procurement costs often become flashpoints for political debate and accusations of waste. By breaking down the actual figure, the state government is attempting to correct the narrative that it spent over ₦650 million per vehicle.
Based on the figures provided by Kanu, the average cost per vehicle in the 12-truck procurement stands at approximately ₦83.59 million. While this remains a substantial sum for a utility vehicle, the government maintains that the procurement followed due process and is reflected in the official financial records of the state.
Procurement transparency and state administration
The move to publicise the findings from the Office of the Accountant-General suggests an effort by the current administration to maintain a posture of transparency. Public procurement in Nigeria is governed by the Public Procurement Act, which requires competitive bidding and value-for-money audits to prevent the inflation of contract sums.
The acquisition of Toyota Hilux vehicles is common among Nigerian state governments for official duties, security operations, and rural monitoring. However, the disparity between the alleged cost of ₦1.3 billion for two units and the actual cost of ₦1.003 billion for 12 units highlights the volatility of unofficial reports regarding government spending.
The Abia State Government has not specified whether the vehicles were specially modified or armoured, which typically accounts for significant price increases over standard commercial models. The administration has instead relied on the verification of the payment records to shut down the controversy.
The state government has indicated that all procurement documents remain available for official audit, leaving the matter to be settled by the verified records held by the Accountant-General’s office.
Explore more Politics stories from Business Elites Africa.
