Professor Pat Utomi has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the distribution of luxury SUVs to selected youth leaders, questioning the party’s spending priorities amid concerns about the salaries of Nigerian soldiers and the country’s healthcare system.
Utomi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed his displeasure in posts on X, arguing that the expensive vehicles contrasted sharply with what he described as the poor remuneration of military personnel.
“Nigerian soldiers are being paid peanuts as salaries, yet an APC youth leader is flaunting SUVs worth billions of naira. This is the same government that told Nigerians there was no longer money in the treasury. At this point, they must think we are fools!” he wrote.
In another post, the professor questioned whether the money spent on the vehicles could have been used to provide essential healthcare services.
“Each of the SUVs in this video costs more than ₦100 million. I wonder how many world-class ambulances the millions being spent on these vehicles could buy. What a pity!” he added.
Utomi’s comments followed a video shared by APC National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, showing brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs he said were presented to selected youth leaders to support election mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The video, which has since been deleted, attracted criticism on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the timing and cost of the distribution amid economic hardship.
Utomi’s remarks have further fuelled the debate over political spending, soldiers’ welfare and the prioritisation of public resources ahead of the 2027 elections.
