Atiku Challenges Tinubu, Demands Details Of N15.13bn SUV Allocation

The Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dared President Bola Tinubu to publish the chassis numbers, suppliers and contract details of 39 Sport Utility Vehicles SUVs for which N15.13 bn was appropriated in the 2026 Federal Budget, or admit that Nigerians have been defrauded.

In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said an analysis by the public accountability organisation Tracka, showing that the 39 SUVs translate to N387 mn per vehicle, has raised questions the Tinubu administration must now answer.

“If those vehicles have already been procured, the government should immediately publish the make, model, year of manufacture, supplier, contract details and the Vehicle Identification Number VIN —popularly known as the chassis number—of each of the 39 vehicles. If the procurement is still ongoing, Nigerians deserve to know why, nearly eight months into the fiscal year, such an expensive purchase has not been concluded”, he said.

The former Vice President listed a range of ultra-luxury vehicles, including Rolls-Royce Cullinans, Bentley Bentaygas, Lamborghini Urus, Ferrari Purosangues, Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600s, Aston Martin DBXs, Range Rover SVs, Brabus G-Class SUVs, Cadillac Escalade Vs and Lexus LX 700hs, saying Nigerians are entitled to ask whether any of these were what the government purchased at that price.

“If none of these ultra-luxury vehicles was purchased, then what exactly justifies such an extraordinary price tag?

“What manner of President signs a budget with figures like these into law without demanding rigorous scrutiny? Was the President asleep at the wheel while the budget was being prepared, or did he knowingly approve allocations that now require public explanation? Either possibility should worry every Nigerian.

“A President cannot proudly sign a budget into law and then pretend to have no responsibility when glaring questions arise. The buck stops on his desk,” he said.

Citing the same Tracka analysis, Atiku noted that ₦947.70 bn was earmarked for 2,579 empowerment projects, and insisted that Nigerians deserve to know the locations of these projects, the identities of beneficiaries, how contractors were selected, and how implementation would be monitored.

He linked the demand for disclosure to the economic sacrifices Nigerians have been asked to make under the current administration.

“The easiest way to silence suspicion is transparency. Publish the procurement documents. Publish the invoices. Publish the suppliers. Publish the chassis numbers. If the figures are genuine, the documents will speak for themselves. If they are not, Nigerians deserve to know who turned the procurement of 39 SUVs into a ₦15.13 billion scandal.

“Public money belongs to the Nigerian people. Every kobo must be accounted for”, he declared.