2027: NDC slams Tinubu, APC over ₦1bn worth of Prado SUVs for youth leaders

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) after its National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, announced the distribution of brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs to selected youth leaders for election mobilisation.

The NDC said the seven vehicles shown in a video posted by Israel were worth about ₦1.015bn, accusing the ruling party of spending taxpayers’ money on the lavish lifestyles of politicians while Nigerians grapple with economic hardship.

In a post on X reacting to Israel’s video, the opposition party said the estimated cost of the vehicles reflected what it described as wasteful spending by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

“The average cost of a brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado is ₦145,000,000. In this video, we counted seven such vehicles, and the number could be even higher,” the NDC said.

“The total cost of these seven vehicles alone amounts to ₦1,015,000,000.”

The party criticised the government’s economic policies, saying Nigerians had been asked to endure hardship while political leaders continued to enjoy 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,” it said.

“The wasteful APC-led administration is funding the lavish lifestyles of politicians while ordinary Nigerians wallow in poverty.”

The NDC called on Nigerians to vote the ruling party out in the 2027 general election, describing opposition to the administration as a civic responsibility.

“We cannot continue like this. We owe Nigerians and the unborn generation the civic duty to vote the ruinous administration of President Bola Tinubu out of power,” the party said.

It also used the controversy to promote its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, pledging that his administration would reduce the cost of governance.

“Our presidential candidate is strongly committed to cutting the cost of governance,” the NDC said, urging voters to support Obi for what it described as “a new and working Nigeria for all, and not for a corrupt few”.

Israel had earlier posted a video showing the vehicles, saying they 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 thanked First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her 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 election, saying the party would “deliver polling unit by polling unit”.

The NDC’s valuation is based on its estimate of the vehicles’ average price and its count of seven SUVs in the video.