By George Omagbemi
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 later seek to recover the money while in office.
Hassan made the claim during a television interview in which he defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approach to government expenditure and the management of public funds.
“A lot of ministers pay billions and billions, you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money,” Hassan said.
When the interviewer suggested that the remark amounted to criticism of ministers serving under the APC-led administration, Hassan clarified that he was referring to a broader practice that, in his view, predated the ruling party.
“It is a truth I’m telling you about our country. Not just APC, before APC,” he said.
Hassan also argued that ministers were often among prominent public officials facing corruption allegations after successive governments left office. He maintained that President Tinubu’s tighter control over public expenditure was a deliberate measure against the misuse of government resources.
However, Hassan did not identify any minister allegedly involved, name anyone who received such payments or present documentary evidence to substantiate his claim. The allegation therefore remains unproven.
The remarks raise questions about transparency in public appointments and the safeguards against financial inducement in government. If supported by credible evidence, such allegations would warrant investigation by the appropriate anti-corruption authorities.
Neither the allegation nor Hassan’s comments establish that any particular minister paid to secure an appointment.
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