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 corrupt practices.
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.
The APC campaign spokesperson argued that Tinubu’s direct involvement in government spending was preferable to leaving expenditure decisions entirely in the hands of ministers, whom he accused of being vulnerable to corruption.
The discussion centred on concerns about the government’s ability to fund its budget amid questions over revenue shortfalls and the implementation of budgetary provisions.
When Aniagolu questioned the administration’s approach to approving budgets without adequate funding, Hassan challenged the need to delegate spending decisions to ministers, arguing that Tinubu had personally overseen government expenditure.
“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.
Hassan subsequently praised the President’s direct involvement in managing public funds.
“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic, and I love it,” he said.
He then alleged that some ministers pay enormous sums to secure appointments and enter government with the intention of recouping 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,” Hassan said.
He maintained that the alleged practice was not peculiar to the APC, claiming that ministers had featured prominently among corrupt public officials under successive administrations.
“The biggest fraudulent people you arrest after every government are ministers,” he added.
Aniagolu demands answers over allegations
Reacting to the interview in a post on X, Aniagolu said Hassan’s claims raised serious questions about the process of appointing ministers and the possible financial interests behind appointments to public office.
The television presenter noted that the ministers being discussed were appointed under the APC-led administration and challenged Hassan’s attempt to frame the alleged practice as one that predated the ruling party.
Aniagolu sought clarification on who allegedly receives the billions, who pays the money and whether public appointments were being sold to prospective officeholders.
“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 added that the allegations required a credible investigation if they were true, while insisting that Hassan owed Nigerians an explanation if he could not substantiate them.
“If these claims are true, they demand a credible investigation. If not, Mr Hassan owes Nigerians a clear explanation,” Aniagolu said.
He stressed that public office should be treated as a responsibility to serve citizens rather than an investment to be recovered at taxpayers’ expense.
“Public office is a public trust, not a private investment to be recouped at taxpayers’ expense,” he added.
Hassan’s allegations have raised questions about transparency in ministerial appointments, the potential influence of money in securing public office and the safeguards against corruption in government.
However, the claims remain allegations, and no specific ministers or individuals accused of paying for appointments were identified in the reported interview.