Utomi slams APC over luxurious SUVs amid troopers’ poor salaries

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

He questioned the spending amid considerations over troopers’ welfare and Nigeria’s financial challenges.

Utomi mentioned the reported expenditure on costly autos was troubling at a time when Nigerian troopers had been receiving what he described as meagre salaries, regardless of repeated assurances that authorities funds had been constrained.

In a put up on X, the professor mentioned,“Nigerian troopers are being paid peanuts as salaries, but an APC youth chief is flaunting SUVs price 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.