Professor Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its distribution of luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to selected youth leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Utomi questioned the party’s spending priorities, contrasting the cost of the vehicles with what he described as poor salaries paid to Nigerian soldiers amid the country’s economic challenges.
In a post on X on Sunday, the professor expressed concern that an APC youth leader was displaying expensive vehicles despite previous claims that government funds were limited.
“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!” Utomi wrote.
In a separate post, the NDC chieftain questioned whether the money spent on the vehicles could have been channelled into other critical sectors, particularly healthcare.
“Each of the SUVs in this video costs more than ₦100 million. I wonder how many world-class ambulances the millions being spent on these vehicles could buy. What a pity!” he added.
Utomi’s comments followed a video shared by APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, showing brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs reportedly presented to selected youth leaders to support election mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.
Announcing the distribution, Israel said the vehicles were intended to assist the beneficiaries in their mobilisation activities.
“Today, I presented brand new 2026 Prado to my committed selected youth leaders to aid their election mobilisation activities,” he wrote.
Israel also acknowledged First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for what he described as her continued support for the party’s structure under his leadership.
“The party is supreme and that supremacy will show in our action in this election period, we will deliver polling unit by polling unit,” he added.
The video, which has since been deleted, generated reactions on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the timing and cost of the vehicle distribution amid economic hardship associated with the Tinubu administration’s reforms.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from other political figures, with opponents raising concerns about the reported expenditure and its implications for public spending priorities.
Utomi’s remarks have further intensified the debate over the distribution of luxury vehicles to party officials ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly regarding the balance between political mobilisation and spending on essential public services.