Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has demanded an explanation from the All Progressives Congress over seven 2026 Toyota Prado SUVs reportedly displayed by the party’s National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel.
Ibe, in a statement on Monday, questioned the source of funding for the vehicles and whether public resources were involved in their purchase or distribution.
He said Israel had displayed the vehicles, thanked First Lady Remi Tinubu for her support and later deleted the post.
However, Ibe argued that removing the pictures did not resolve questions about the vehicles’ ownership, funding and intended beneficiaries.
“Deleting the pictures does not erase the questions,” he said.
Ibe criticised the development against the backdrop of rising living costs, unemployment and poverty, arguing that the reported distribution of luxury vehicles to party operatives contrasted with the economic difficulties facing many Nigerians.
He also questioned the call for Nigerians to make sacrifices amid reports of luxury vehicles being made available for political activities.
“Is sacrifice only for the poor?” he asked.
The former vice-president’s aide called on the First Lady, Israel and the APC to disclose the total cost of the seven vehicles, identify their purchasers and explain the sources of the funds used to acquire them.
He also demanded the identities of the donors and beneficiaries, evidence of payment and details of the purpose for which the vehicles were provided.
Ibe further asked the party to clarify whether any funds or assets belonging to the Federal Government, the Office of the First Lady or government agencies were used in the transaction.
He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent National Electoral Commission to examine the funding arrangements and determine whether public resources were used for partisan activities or whether applicable campaign-finance rules were breached.
“The Nigerian treasury is not the APC’s campaign purse, and the Presidency must not become the ruling party’s election-financing machinery,” Ibe said.
He maintained that deleting the social media post should not end scrutiny of the reported vehicle distribution.
“Deleting the post cannot delete the demand for accountability,” he added.
The statement did not provide independent evidence that public funds were used to acquire the vehicles or establish the circumstances surrounding their purchase.