A spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Alwan Hassan, has alleged that ministers have historically been implicated in fraud across successive Nigerian administrations, describing corruption among public officeholders as a longstanding national problem.
Hassan made the claim during an interview on Arise News on Thursday, while defending President Bola Tinubu’s direct involvement in overseeing government revenue and expenditure.
He alleged that some ministers pay huge sums to secure appointments and subsequently focus on recovering their investments after assuming office.
“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, however, clarified that his comments were not directed specifically at ministers serving under the current APC-led administration, insisting that the alleged practice predated the party’s emergence.
“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 made the remarks while responding to questions about the government’s spending priorities and its ability to fully fund budgetary commitments.
He praised Tinubu’s personal involvement in financial decisions, arguing that the President’s hands-on approach had helped the administration manage public resources.
According to him, the President’s level of involvement in budget implementation raises questions about the extent to which ministers should independently oversee 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 intended to ensure that retiring civil servants received their 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 expressed confidence that the government’s achievements would strengthen the APC’s chances in the 2027 presidential election.
Hassan did not name any ministers or provide specific evidence to substantiate his allegations about payments for appointments or the alleged recovery of such payments. His comments nevertheless raise questions about corruption risks in political appointments and accountability in the management of public funds.
