The Forum of State Youth Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has officially debunked media reports claiming that luxury SUV vehicles were distributed to the party's state youth leaders across the country.
APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, had announced the controversial donation in a post on X.
Outrage trailed the vehicle donations, which were linked to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. Dayo Israel later deleted the post.
However, in a formal disclaimer and clarification issued in response to the circulating reports, the APC state youth leaders maintained that none of their members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have received any vehicle. They described the reports as entirely false, misleading and unrepresentative of the reality on the ground.
Parts of the statement issued by the Forum read: "No SUVs Received: The state youth leaders categorically denied receiving any SUV cars from Hon. Dayo Israel and urged APC members and the general public to completely disregard the false claims.
"Lack of Consultation: The leaders stated that they were neither consulted nor informed about any purported vehicle procurement, allocation formula, or distribution plan, noting that they only learned about the development through media reports.
"Preference for Practical Empowerment: Questioning the rationale behind prioritizing luxury vehicles, the leaders stressed that Nigerian youths urgently require practical empowerment initiatives rather than extravagance. They highlighted business grants, skills acquisition centers, minibuses, motorcycles for local mobility, employment opportunities, and small business support as far more impactful interventions.
"Demand for Transparency: The Forum called on Hon. Dayo Israel to provide an immediate and transparent public explanation. Specifically, they demanded clarification regarding: The actual identities of any alleged beneficiaries and the rationale behind excluding the Forum of State Youth Leaders from information regarding the distribution, and the selection criteria utilized, assuming any vehicles were actually shared."
The youth leaders expressed concern over what they described as the unauthorized use of their names and offices to project an image of empowerment or justify expenditures without tangible benefits reaching them.
They, however, reaffirmed their loyalty to the party.
"Despite these concerns, the Forum reaffirmed its unwavering loyalty and commitment to the APC. The leaders emphasized that their primary focus remains on mobilizing young voters across the country to secure electoral victories for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all APC candidates in upcoming elections," the statement said.
The party youth leaders urged the media and the public to treat the "alleged" vehicle distribution as fake news.
Prado SUVs: APC state youth leaders demand answers from Dayo Israel