ADC Asks Tinubu to Probe Allegation That Ministers Pay Billions for Appointments

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate allegations that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover the money.

The council also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate any credible evidence of financial inducements linked to ministerial appointments.

The demand followed remarks by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, during an interview on Arise Television last Thursday.

While defending Tinubu’s direct involvement in government expenditure decisions, Hassan alleged that some ministers pay substantial sums to secure appointments and later attempt to recoup their investments.

“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 also described ministers as among the most corrupt public officials under successive administrations, arguing that the problem was not limited to the ruling APC.

However, Hassan did not identify any minister allegedly involved in the practice or provide evidence to substantiate the claim during the interview.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC said the allegation required a transparent investigation because of its implications for accountability and the integrity of public appointments.

“An allegation of this magnitude cannot simply be ignored or dismissed without a transparent explanation,” the council said.

It argued that, if proven, the alleged practice would raise concerns about whether ministerial appointments were being treated as commercial transactions rather than positions of public trust.

The council therefore asked Tinubu to clarify whether he was aware of the alleged payments, whether an investigation had been initiated and what measures his administration intended to take to establish the facts.

It also challenged Hassan to identify the ministers allegedly involved, disclose the amounts purportedly paid and name those who allegedly received the money.

The ADC-PCC further called on the National Assembly to consider a public inquiry into the allegation, including inviting Hassan to explain his remarks and present any supporting evidence.

The council stressed that its demands were intended to establish the facts and safeguard public institutions, rather than replace evidence or due process.

“Public office is a responsibility, not a commercial transaction. Ministerial appointments must be guided by competence, integrity and a commitment to national service—not by financial inducements or expectations of private returns,” the statement said.

The controversy emerged from Hassan’s defence of Tinubu’s hands-on approach to government spending. During the interview, he questioned whether ministers should have control over budgetary allocations, arguing that the President’s direct involvement in expenditure decisions was preferable.

The ADC-PCC linked the allegation to broader concerns about the management of public resources and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly at a time when Nigerians are facing economic difficulties and rising living costs.

With the 2027 general election approaching, the council urged Nigerians to scrutinise political leaders’ records and demand accountability. It also presented former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy as an alternative on governance, economic recovery and public accountability.

As of the time of the report, no specific minister had been identified as having paid money to secure an appointment, and the allegation remained unsubstantiated.

The Daily Reality