“MINISTERS PAY BILLIONS TO GET APPOINTED” — APC SPOKESMAN ALLEGES

A spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Alwan Hassan, has alleged that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure their appointments and subsequently focus on recouping the money rather than serving the public.

The allegation was made during an interview on Arise News on Thursday, where Hassan defended President Bola Tinubu’s direct oversight of government revenue and expenditure .

THE ALLEGATION

Hassan was unequivocal about the scale of the problem.

“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic and I love it. 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 argued that the practice has been going on for years, across successive administrations, and was not limited to the current government.

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“But this is the truth I’m telling you about our country. Not just APC. Before APC, the biggest fraudulent people you arrest after every government are ministers,” he added.

THE DEFENCE OF TINUBU

Hassan used the allegation to justify President Tinubu’s personal involvement in spending decisions, arguing that leaving budget implementation entirely to ministers had failed in the past.

“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.

He described Tinubu’s approach to revenue management as commendable.”The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic and I love it,” he said .

WHY IT MATTERS

Hassan’s allegation is remarkable for two reasons.

First, it comes from a spokesperson for the ruling party’s presidential campaign. He is not an opposition critic. He is defending the President, and he is using the alleged corruption of ministers as the justification for why the President should control spending directly.

Second, it raises uncomfortable questions about the appointment process. If ministers pay billions to secure their positions, who is collecting the money?

And what does that say about the integrity of the government’s own hiring process?

The Presidency has not responded to Hassan’s allegation. The ministers he referred to have not been named.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Hassan’s interview has sparked widespread discussion about corruption in Nigeria’s ministerial appointments.