APC campaign spokesman Alwan Hassan alleges some ministers pay billions to secure appointments and seek to recover the money, raising questions about public spending
The spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Alwan Hassan, has alleged that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover the money.
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Hassan made the allegation during an interview on Arise News on Thursday while defending President Bola Tinubu’s direct oversight of government revenue and expenditure.
He praised the President’s involvement in spending decisions, arguing that it helped strengthen the management of public funds.
“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,” Hassan said.
He clarified that his comments were not specifically directed at ministers serving under the current APC-led administration, claiming that the practice had persisted across successive governments.
“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.
Hassan spoke while responding to questions about the government’s ability to fully fund its budgets despite its financial commitments.
He questioned whether ministers should have sole responsibility for implementing budgetary provisions, arguing that Tinubu’s personal involvement had helped the administration manage expenditure.
“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 campaign spokesman also defended the administration’s record on pension payments, claiming that funds had been released to settle outstanding entitlements owed to retired federal civil servants.
He said the government had introduced an exit benefit scheme for retiring civil servants, which he described as a measure intended to ensure workers received their retirement entitlements without unnecessary delays.
Hassan further cited investments in electricity metering and technology, including electric vehicles, surveillance drones and local ammunition production, as evidence of the administration’s performance.
He maintained that the government’s achievements would strengthen the APC’s position ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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Hassan did not identify the ministers he was referring to or provide specific evidence to substantiate the allegation in the remarks quoted in the report.
