Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has asked President Bola Tinubu to explain the reported distribution of 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs to youth leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid economic hardship in the country.
Atiku questioned the source of funding for the vehicles, and demanded transparency over who paid for them and the total cost of the distribution.
In a statement issued on Monday by the director of strategic communication of the ADC presidential campaign council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Nigerians deserved an explanation for the reported gifts while many households struggled with the rising cost of living.
The controversy followed a now-deleted social media post by Dayo Israel, APC national youth leader, who said he had presented brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado vehicles to selected youth leaders ‘to support their election mobilisation activities.
Israel thanked Oluremi Tinubu, the first lady, for her continued support for the party structure under his leadership.
Atiku Questions Source Of Funds For SUVs
Atiku said the distribution raised questions about the source of the money used to acquire the vehicles and whether public resources were involved.
‘The APC National Youth Leader says these vehicles were donated by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. Nigerians deserve to know where the money came from to buy and distribute so many 2026 model SUVs, each worth more than ₦150 million, for political mobilisation’, he said.
‘The Presidency must provide a clear account. Nigerians cannot be expected to accept a fleet of extraordinarily expensive vehicles for party loyalists without knowing who financed them’.
The former vice-president noted that the car gifts were particularly troubling at a time when many Nigerians were struggling to afford food, transportation and other basic necessities.
‘At a time families cannot afford food, transport and other basic necessities, these gifts are a brazen insult to the people’, he said.
Atiku asked the presidency to clarify whether the vehicles were purchased with Remi’s personal funds, private donations or public resources.
He said if the vehicles were privately funded, the source of the money should be disclosed, adding that any use of public funds should be accompanied by an explanation of who authorised the expenditure and the legal basis for it.
Atiku accused President Tinubu administration of failing to provide sufficient relief to Nigerians facing the effects of rising living costs.
He questioned how the government could justify the reported distribution of expensive vehicles to party loyalists while citizens continued to seek answers about the use of savings from petrol subsidy removal.
The ADC candidate also alleged that the reported distribution followed an earlier round of luxury vehicle gifts to APC women leaders.
He said the latest development raised questions about the priorities of the governing party amid concerns over hunger, insecurity and unemployment.
Atiku said the reported distribution of luxury vehicles raised concerns about whether public resources were being used to secure political loyalty.
‘Nigeria cannot be run as a captured state, where wealth and influence serve the powerful while ordinary citizens are left to struggle’, he said.
He called on the president and the presidency to provide answers about the funding of the vehicles rather than dismiss questions about the spending.
Atiku also pledged that, if elected president, his administration would investigate any public expenditure found to have been made illegally and prosecute those responsible.
‘When I am sworn in as President, every naira found to have been spent illegally will be thoroughly investigated, and everyone found culpable will be brought to justice’, he added.
