APC spokesperson alleges ministers pay billions to secure appointments

Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, has alleged that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover their investments through public office.

Hassan made the allegation during an interview with Charles Aniagolu on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Thursday night while defending President Bola Tinubu’s approach to managing government revenue and expenditure.

During the interview, Hassan questioned the need for ministers to control government spending, arguing that Tinubu’s direct involvement in expenditure decisions had helped the administration achieve its objectives.

Asked how the government intended to fund its budget amid concerns about revenue shortfalls, Hassan suggested that the president’s personal oversight of spending was preferable to allocating funds to ministers.

“Whatever it is a budget is supposed to do in this country in the last three and a half years, Asiwaju (President Bola Tinubu) has done it by himself. Why do we need ministers? Why do we need budget to be given to ministers?” he asked.

When Aniagolu suggested that the administration was approving budgets without adequately funding them, Hassan praised Tinubu’s hands-on approach to government expenditure.

“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic, and I love it,” he said.

Hassan subsequently alleged that some ministers paid huge sums to secure their appointments and entered office intending to recover the money.

“Charles, a lot of ministers pay billions and billions, and you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money,” he said.

He further claimed that corruption among ministers was not peculiar to the APC, arguing that public officials in ministerial positions had featured prominently in corruption cases across successive administrations.

“The biggest fraudulent people you arrest after every government are ministers,” Hassan said.

Aniagolu demands answers over allegations

Reacting to the interview in a post on X, Aniagolu questioned the process through which ministers were appointed and the alleged financial interests behind their appointments.

The presenter noted that the ministers Hassan referred to were appointed under the APC-led administration, while the campaign spokesperson maintained that the alleged practice predated the party.

Aniagolu called for clarification on who allegedly paid and received the money and whether public appointments were being sold.

“Who allegedly collects these billions? Who pays? Who is selling public appointments? And are Nigerians ultimately made to pay for it through corruption?” he asked.

He said the allegations, if true, warranted a credible investigation, adding that Hassan owed Nigerians an explanation if he could not substantiate his claims.

“If these claims are true, they demand a credible investigation. If not, Mr Hassan owes Nigerians a clear explanation.

“Public office is a public trust, not a private investment to be recouped at taxpayers’ expense,” Aniagolu said.

Hassan’s allegations have raised questions about the integrity of ministerial appointments and the potential consequences of financial interests influencing public service. However, the claims presented in the interview have not been independently substantiated in the report.