By Ghazali Ibrahim
The presentation of brand-new Toyota Prado sports utility vehicles to selected youth leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked widespread criticism, with Nigerians questioning the timing of the gesture amid the country’s economic hardship.
The APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, shared a video on his X account on Sunday showing seven 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUVs, saying the vehicles were presented to selected party youth leaders to support their mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the announcement triggered reactions from social media users and political figures, who questioned the cost of the vehicles and whether the resources could have been used to address pressing social needs.
Professor Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), criticised the display, drawing attention to the salaries of Nigerian soldiers and the country’s economic challenges.
“Nigerian soldiers are being paid peanuts as salaries, yet an APC youth leader is flaunting SUVs worth billions of naira,” Utomi wrote, questioning the contrast between the expensive vehicles and the government’s calls for Nigerians to endure economic difficulties.
In another post, he questioned whether the money could have been used to provide ambulances and other essential healthcare equipment.
Other Nigerians also expressed concern over the reported cost of the vehicles, with some arguing that the money could have supported struggling families, improved healthcare facilities and funded community development projects.
An X user, @iamchibuzoree, questioned how resources could be available for the vehicles when health workers and other public-sector employees were facing financial difficulties.
Another user, @ayshaHamman, questioned how many primary healthcare centres could have benefited from the money reportedly spent on the SUVs.
Similarly, @HarmlessHQ criticised the timing of the presentation, contrasting it with President Bola Tinubu’s remarks on the country’s economic challenges.
Some reactions also focused on the source of funding for the vehicles, with commentators demanding greater transparency over who paid for them.
Israel did not disclose the purchase price of the SUVs or the precise source of funding in his post. He also thanked First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for what he described as her continued support for the party’s structure under his leadership.
The APC youth leader later deleted the post, although recordings and screenshots of the video continued to circulate online.
As of Monday, no public explanation had been provided for the deletion, and the funding arrangement for the vehicles remained unclear.
The controversy comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with Israel saying the vehicles would support the APC’s grassroots mobilisation efforts and help the party secure votes at polling units.
