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 the money after assuming office.
Hassan made the allegation during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Thursday while defending President Bola Tinubu’s approach to managing government revenue and expenditure.
He argued that the president’s direct involvement in spending decisions was preferable to allowing ministers to exercise unrestricted control over budget implementation.
“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 ruling APC, claiming that corruption involving ministers had persisted across successive administrations.
“The biggest fraudulent people you arrest after every government are ministers,” he added.
Hassan’s remarks followed questions about how the Federal Government intended to meet its financial commitments amid concerns over revenue shortfalls and budget implementation.
He praised Tinubu’s personal oversight of public expenditure, arguing that the president had taken responsibility for spending decisions over the past three and a half years.
“Whatever it is a budget is supposed to do in this country in the last three and a half years, Asiwaju has done it by himself. Why do we need ministers? Why do we need budget to be given to ministers?” he asked.
The APC spokesperson also defended the administration’s record on pension payments, electricity and technology, citing government investments in electricity meters, electric vehicles and surveillance drones.
He further said the administration had released funds to address outstanding pension liabilities and introduced measures to improve the payment of retirement benefits to federal civil servants.
Reacting to the allegation, Arise Television presenter Charles Aniagolu questioned who allegedly collected the money, who paid it and whether public appointments were being sold.
Aniagolu said the claims, if substantiated, warranted a credible investigation, adding that Hassan owed Nigerians an explanation if he could not provide evidence to support them.
Hassan did not name any minister or provide specific evidence to substantiate the allegation during the interview.
