The distribution of luxury Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUVs to selected youth leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked criticism, with Nigerians questioning the party’s spending priorities amid concerns over healthcare, unpaid pensions and rising living costs.
The controversy followed a video shared on Sunday by APC National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, showing seven brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs intended to support party members’ election mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his now-deleted post on X, Israel said the vehicles were presented to selected youth leaders to support their mobilisation activities. He also thanked First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her continued support for the party’s youth structure.
The First Lady subsequently confirmed that she donated vehicles to the APC youth wing to support grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Reacting to the development, critics questioned the estimated cost of the vehicles against the economic challenges facing ordinary Nigerians and public institutions.
One criticism put the estimated minimum value of each vehicle at ₦145 million. Based on that estimate, seven SUVs would cost approximately ₦1.015 billion. However, the actual purchase price and the full funding arrangement have not been independently established.
“Nigerian hospitals are still not working. Pensioners are still being owed pension in different states,” one critic said, questioning the decision to deploy expensive vehicles for political mobilisation while public services and citizens’ welfare remain major concerns.
The criticism also referenced the repeated appeals for Nigerians to endure economic hardship since 2023.
“We’re told to endure the baby pains since around 2023, 2024, and this is 2026,” the critic said, expressing frustration over what was described as a contrast between the sacrifices demanded of citizens and the resources allocated to political activities.
Israel’s post triggered widespread reactions online, with commentators debating the cost of the vehicles, the source of funding and whether the expenditure was justified ahead of the next general election. The post was deleted about three hours after it was published, although recordings and screenshots continued to circulate.
The APC youth leader did not disclose the exact cost of the vehicles in his post. Available reports have also not established whether the vehicles were purchased with party funds, donated privately or provided through another arrangement.
The controversy has renewed debate about political spending and the cost of election mobilisation at a time when households continue to face pressure from food, transport and other essential expenses.
With the 2027 elections approaching, questions over how political parties fund their campaigns and allocate resources are likely to remain part of public discussion.