Nasarawa PDP challenges Gov Sule Over Missing Luxury Buses

From Abel  Zwànke Lafia 

The Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Governor Abdullahi Sule to account for the whereabouts of luxury buses reportedly purchased to alleviate the high cost of transportation in the state.

The buses, worth over ₦5 billion, were said to have been acquired using funds from the federal government’s fuel subsidy removal.

In a statement signed by the PDP Press Secretary, Jonathan Ipaa, and issued in Lafia on Monday, the party urged citizens to demand answers regarding the buses, which were intended to ease the burden of transportation costs on the populace.

“The buses were proceeds of the fuel subsidy removal by the APC-controlled federal government last year. We demand categorically for the availability of the buses procured in February 2023, when former President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Lafia and Karu bus terminals,” Ipaa stated.

The party highlighted that despite the official launch of 13 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) luxury ride buses in May 2024, none have been seen in operation across the state. According to the PDP, its inquiries at the Lafia and Karu terminals yielded no evidence of the buses being put to use.

“We took our searchlight from Lafia to the Karu terminal parks, and no single ‘On-the-Move’ bus was seen plying the roads. We asked the passengers, drivers, and officials in charge, but nobody except Governor Sule knows where these buses are,” the statement added.

The PDP criticized the government’s failure to make the buses available to residents amid skyrocketing transportation costs, which continue to affect commuters across the state. The party also raised concerns about the non-implementation of the national minimum wage of ₦70,500 for workers, further compounding the hardship faced by citizens.

“Commuters are paying fares through their noses while workers are still groaning over the non-implementation of their minimum wage,” the statement read. “The disappearance of the buses launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 and the 13 CNG luxury ride buses launched in March raises serious concerns.”

The PDP concluded by urging Nasarawa residents to demand accountability from the government and called on Governor Sule to provide clarity on the fate of the missing buses.