The Ondo State Government has proposed to spend N2.4 billion on luxury vehicles for members of the State House of Assembly, despite an ongoing strike by judiciary workers that has crippled court activities across the state.
A review of the 2026 Ondo State budget document shows that N2.16 billion has been earmarked for the purchase of 27 units of Toyota Fortuner SUVs for lawmakers and the Clerk of the House of Assembly.
In addition, the budget allocates N245 million for luxury vehicles for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Majority Leader of the 10th Assembly, while another N85 million is set aside for a vehicle for the Deputy Speaker, bringing the total proposed expenditure on vehicles to N2.4 billion.
Further analysis of the budget reveals that N765 million has been allocated for the renovation of the House of Assembly complex and lodge. Of this amount, N485 million is designated for the renovation of the Assembly complex, while N280 million is for the renovation of the official lodge and residential quarters.
The planned expenditure has sparked criticism, coming at a time when judiciary workers in the state are on an indefinite strike over unresolved welfare issues and the alleged refusal of the state government to grant financial autonomy to the judiciary.
As of the time of filing this report, court activities remain completely paralysed across Ondo State. The situation escalated on Monday after striking judiciary workers reportedly locked judges out of court facilities in Akure, the state capital, effectively shutting down the Judiciary Headquarters.
On Tuesday, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) joined the strike, further deepening the crisis.
Judicial officers, including magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts, and legal research officers, had earlier commenced the strike, accusing the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of failing to honour commitments on welfare and repeatedly undermining the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
This is not the first time the state government has budgeted heavily for luxury vehicles. A review of the 2025 budget shows that N2 billion was allocated for the purchase of vehicles, including an armoured vehicle for the governor, a Toyota Prado for the Secretary to the State Government, and other official cars.
Between January and June 2025, the state reportedly spent N450.9 million on vehicles, while allocating N2.3 billion as capital expenditure for the state’s security outfit, Amotekun, but recording zero naira spending on the project within the same period.
Similarly, the state spent just N309 million on capital expenditure for rural water supply and sanitation between January and June 2025, indicating that more funds were spent on official vehicles than on essential public services.
The budget also shows that the House of Assembly planned to spend N200 million on telephone charges in 2025—an amount that translates to about N16 million monthly. An additional N10 million was earmarked for telephone expenses by House committees.
Another N20 million was budgeted by the Office of the Accountant General for the procurement of 40 executive chairs, valued at N500,000 each.
