Utomi slams APC over luxury SUVs amid soldiers’ poor salaries

Professor Pat Utomi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has criticised the All Progressives Congress, APC, over its distribution of luxury sport utility vehicles, SUVs, to selected youth leaders.

He questioned the spending amid concerns over soldiers’ welfare and Nigeria’s economic challenges.

Utomi said the reported expenditure on expensive vehicles was troubling at a time when Nigerian soldiers were receiving what he described as meagre salaries, despite repeated assurances that government finances were constrained.

In a post on X, the professor said,“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, Utomi questioned whether the funds used to purchase the vehicles could have been redirected towards essential public services, particularly healthcare.

He argued that the money could have been used to provide well-equipped ambulances to improve emergency medical services.

He alleged each of the SUVs in the video costs more than N100 million.

The criticism followed a video shared by APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, showing brand-new 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs.

Israel said the vehicles had been handed to selected youth leaders to strengthen their mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In his accompanying post, Israel explained that the distribution was intended to provide logistical support for youth leaders tasked with mobilising voters and advancing the party’s electoral campaign.

Utomi slams APC over luxury SUVs amid soldiers’ poor salaries