The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has sharply criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) after its National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, unveiled brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs for selected youth leaders to aid election mobilisation.
In a video posted by Israel, seven SUVs were displayed, which the NDC estimated to be worth about ₦1.015 billion. The opposition party accused the ruling APC of indulging in wasteful spending at a time when Nigerians are struggling with economic hardship.
“The average cost of a brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado is ₦145 million. In this video, we counted seven such vehicles, and the number could be even higher,” the NDC said in a statement on X.
The party condemned what it described as the “lavish lifestyles of politicians funded by taxpayers’ money,” contrasting it with the government’s call for citizens to endure economic reforms.
“This is how taxpayers’ money is being spent while ordinary Nigerians wallow in poverty,” the statement read.
The NDC urged Nigerians to vote out the APC in the 2027 general election, calling opposition to the Tinubu-led administration a civic duty. It also used the controversy to promote its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, pledging that his leadership would cut the cost of governance.
Israel, meanwhile, defended the gesture, saying the SUVs were presented to “committed selected youth leaders” to strengthen grassroots mobilisation. He expressed gratitude to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her support and vowed that the APC would deliver “polling unit by polling unit” in the upcoming election.