By Habeeb Ibrahim
The Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) State Youth Leaders has denied receiving cars from the party’s National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, demanding that he apologise within 24 hours over what it described as false claims about the distribution of vehicles.
The forum, comprising youth leaders from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, said none of its members received cars from Israel or his associates, warning that it would take the matter to the press if he failed to apologise.
“We didn’t receive any car from Dayo Isreal or associates,” the leaders said in a communiqué dated October 26, 2026, addressed to the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda.
The denial comes amid controversy over the reported distribution of brand-new 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUVs to selected APC youth executives for mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Israel had announced the vehicle presentation in a post on X, thanking First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her support. The post was subsequently deleted amid public criticism of the reported vehicle purchases.
The state youth leaders, however, insisted that the claim of car distribution involving their members was false and demanded an apology from the national youth leader within 24 hours.
Their position introduces another dimension to the controversy, raising questions about who received the vehicles and whether the beneficiaries were different from the elected state youth leaders represented by the forum.
Beyond the vehicle dispute, the forum passed a vote of no confidence in Israel, accusing him of excluding state youth leaders from party programmes and running the youth wing as a one-man operation.
The leaders alleged that Israel organised events in different states without informing or involving the substantive state youth leaders, whom they described as key grassroots mobilisers.
They also accused him of favouritism, failing to convene regular meetings and neglecting to establish an inclusive action plan for youth mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The forum called on the APC national leadership to intervene and convene an all-inclusive meeting of state youth leaders to develop strategies for the forthcoming elections.
It further threatened to withdraw from activities coordinated by Israel’s office if its grievances were not addressed, urging the national chairman and the National Working Committee to deal directly with the state youth leaders.
Despite the dispute, the forum reaffirmed its loyalty to President Bola Tinubu, the APC national chairman and the party’s National Working Committee.
Israel’s response to the state youth leaders’ 24-hour apology demand was not included in the communiqué.
