Professor Pat Utomi and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the distribution of luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to selected youth leaders for election mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The criticism followed a video shared by APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, showing brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs presented to selected youth leaders.
Politics Nigeria reports that the development has sparked debate over political spending amid Nigeria’s economic hardship.
In a post on X on Sunday, Utomi, a chieftain of the NDC, questioned the expenditure, contrasting the cost of the vehicles with what he described as poor salaries paid to 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.
Utomi also questioned whether the money spent on the vehicles could have been used to improve healthcare services, particularly emergency medical transportation.
“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.
The NDC also criticised the distribution, estimating that the seven vehicles shown in the video were worth N1.015bn.
In a separate post on X, the opposition party said the average cost of a brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado was N145m, putting the estimated cost of the seven vehicles at N1.015bn.
“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.”
It accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of asking Nigerians to endure economic hardship while politicians enjoyed expensive benefits.
“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.”
Subsequently, the party called on Nigerians to vote the APC out in the 2027 general elections, describing the move as a civic responsibility.
It also promoted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying his administration would reduce 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 had said the vehicles were presented to selected youth leaders to support their election mobilisation activities.
“Today, I presented brand new 2026 Prado to my committed selected youth leaders to aid their election mobilisation activities,” he wrote.
He also expressed gratitude to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her continued support for the party’s 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 added that the APC would focus on grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections, declaring that the party would “deliver polling unit by polling unit”.