Atiku seeks disclosure of documents behind Tinubu's N15.13bn luxury vehicle purchases

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Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, mounted a fresh attack on the President Bola Tinubu-led government, demanding full disclosure of details surrounding the proposed procurement of 39 Sport Utility Vehicles valued at N15.13bn in the 2026 budget.

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Atiku challenged the Federal Government to publish the Vehicle Identification Numbers, commonly known as chassis numbers, alongside other procurement records for the vehicles, insisting that transparency is the only way to dispel growing public suspicion over what he described as an extraordinary expenditure.

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The former Vice President’s position followed an analysis by civic accountability organisation, Tracka, which reportedly found that N15.13bn was appropriated for the purchase of 39 SUVs, translating to an average cost of about N387m per vehicle.

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In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Nigerians deserved full disclosure on the procurement process.

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“Tracka’s analysis shows that N15.13bn was budgeted for the procurement of 39 SUVs. That translates to an astonishing N387m per vehicle,” he said.

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He challenged the government to immediately release the make, model, year of manufacture, supplier, contract details and the VIN of each vehicle if the procurement had already been completed.

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According to him, if the acquisition was yet to be concluded despite the fiscal year being well advanced, the government also owed Nigerians an explanation.

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“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, popularly known as the chassis number, of each of the 39 vehicles.

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“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,” the statement read.

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Questioning the basis for the projected cost, Atiku asked whether the Federal Government had acquired some of the world’s most expensive luxury SUVs.

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He listed vehicles such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Ferrari Purosangue, Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, Aston Martin DBX, Range Rover SV, Brabus G-Class, Cadillac Escalade V and Lexus LX 700h as examples of automobiles whose prices could approach such figures.

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

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The Wazirin Adamawa also questioned Tinubu’s role in approving the budget, arguing that the President could not distance himself from controversial provisions contained in a spending plan he signed into law.

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“What manner of President signs a budget with figures like these into law without demanding rigorous scrutiny?

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“Was the President asleep at the wheel while the budget was being prepared, or did he knowingly approve allocations that now require public explanation?

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“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 added.

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Beyond the SUV procurement, Atiku said Tracka’s review also identified N947.70bn earmarked for 2,579 empowerment projects, demanding greater transparency over the implementation of those programmes.

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He called on the Federal Government to disclose the locations of the projects, identities of beneficiaries, details of contractors handling them and the monitoring mechanisms put in place to ensure value for public funds.

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According to him, such disclosures became necessary given the economic hardship facing Nigerians following recent government reforms.

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“This is a government that has consistently preached sacrifice to Nigerians, removing fuel subsidy, increasing electricity tariffs, imposing higher taxes and asking citizens to endure unprecedented hardship.

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“It cannot, in the same breath, expect Nigerians to remain silent over expenditures that raise legitimate questions about value for money,” he said.

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The ADC chieftain further maintained that the simplest way for the administration to address public concerns is through complete openness.

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“The easiest way to silence suspicion is transparency. Publish the procurement documents. Publish the invoices. Publish the suppliers. Publish the chassis numbers.

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“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 N15.13bn scandal.

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

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The latest criticism adds to growing scrutiny over allocations in the 2026 federal budget, particularly constituency and capital expenditure items flagged by civil society organisations for possible wasteful spending or weak accountability.

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Tracka, a public accountability initiative that monitors government budgets and projects, has been analysing the implementation and composition of the 2026 budget, drawing attention to several high-value allocations it says require greater public scrutiny.

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The Federal Government is yet to publicly respond to Atiku’s latest demand for the release of procurement documents and chassis numbers relating to the proposed SUV acquisition.

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