MANY MINISTERS PAY BILLIONS TO SECURE APPOINTMENTS AND FIRST THING THEY THINK OF IS HOW TO RECOUP THE MONEY - APC SPOKESPERSON
Alwan Hassan 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 then focus on recovering the money after assuming office.
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.
When asked how the government intended to fund its budget amid concerns about revenue shortfalls, Hassan questioned the need for ministers to control government spending, arguing that Tinubu’s direct involvement in expenditure decisions was preferable.
“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.
When Aniagolu suggested that the administration was deliberately approving budgets without adequately funding them, Hassan praised Tinubu’s personal involvement in spending government revenue.
“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic, and I love it,” he said. Hassan subsequently alleged that some ministers pay huge sums to secure their appointments and enter office intending to recover their investments.
“Charles, a lot of ministers pay billions, and you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money,” he said.
He further claimed that corr¥ption among ministers was not limited to the APC, alleging that ministers had consistently featured among the most corr¥pt public officials under successive administrations.
“The biggest fra¥dulent people you arrest after every government are ministers,” Hassan said.
He maintained that the government’s achievements would strengthen the APC’s chances ahead of the 2027 presidential election