Professor Pat Utomi and the Nigeria Democratic Congress have condemned the All Progressives Congress over its distribution of luxury sport utility vehicles to selected youth leaders for election mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The controversy emerged after the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, shared a video showing brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs being presented to selected youth leaders.
The development has triggered criticism over political expenditure, particularly against the backdrop of Nigeria’s prevailing economic challenges.
Politics Nigeria reports that Utomi, an NDC chieftain, questioned the rationale behind the expenditure in a post published on X on Sunday, drawing attention to the disparity between the cost of the vehicles and what he described as inadequate salaries for Nigerian soldiers.
“Nigerian soldiers are being paid peanuts as salaries, yet an APC youth leader is flaunting SUVs worth billions of naira. This is the same government that told Nigerians there was no longer money in the treasury. At this point, they must think we are fools!” he wrote.
The professor further challenged the decision to spend such sums on luxury vehicles, arguing that the funds could have been channelled towards improving healthcare infrastructure and emergency medical services.
“Each of the SUVs in this video costs more than N100 million. I wonder how many world-class ambulances the millions being spent on these vehicles could buy. What a pity!” he added.
Similarly, the NDC faulted the APC’s decision to distribute the vehicles, estimating that the seven SUVs featured in the video had a combined value of N1.015bn.
In a separate statement posted on X, the opposition party arrived at the figure using an estimated price of N145m for each brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado, while noting that the number of vehicles involved could be higher.
“The average cost of a brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado is N145,000,000. In this video, we counted seven such vehicles, and the number could be even higher,” the party said.
“The total cost of these seven vehicles alone amounts to N1,015,000,000.”
The party also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of demanding economic sacrifices from Nigerians while political figures continued to enjoy costly benefits amid widespread financial difficulties.
“While the rudderless, clueless, and ruinous administration of President Bola Tinubu has been asking Nigerians to endure the pains of its wicked and cruel reforms, this is how taxpayers’ money is being spent,” the NDC said.
“The wasteful APC-led administration is funding the lavish lifestyles of politicians while ordinary Nigerians wallow in poverty.”
Following its criticism, the NDC urged Nigerians to reject the APC in the 2027 general elections, describing the decision to vote the ruling party out of office as a civic responsibility.
The opposition party also highlighted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as an alternative, pledging that his administration would prioritise reducing the cost of governance.
“Our presidential candidate is strongly committed to cutting the cost of governance,” the NDC said, urging Nigerians to support Obi for what it described as “a new and working Nigeria for all, and not for a corrupt few”.
Meanwhile, Israel defended the distribution by explaining that the vehicles were intended to assist selected youth leaders in carrying out election mobilisation activities ahead of the forthcoming polls.
“Today, I presented brand new 2026 Prado to my committed selected youth leaders to aid their election mobilisation activities,” he wrote.
The APC youth leader also acknowledged the support of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, expressing appreciation for her continued backing of the party’s organisational structure under his leadership.
“I am grateful to my Mummy, H.E Mrs Oluremi Tinubu for her continuous support to the party structure under my leadership,” Israel said.
He further emphasised the ruling party’s commitment to strengthening its grassroots campaign network ahead of the 2027 elections, expressing confidence in its mobilisation strategy and declaring that the APC would “deliver polling unit by polling unit”.
