The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has challenged President Bola Tinubu to investigate an allegation by his campaign spokesperson, Alwan Hassan, that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and later seek to recover the money.
The council called on the president to explain whether he was aware of the alleged practice and what steps his administration would take to establish the facts.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan on Tuesday, the council described the allegation as a serious matter requiring a transparent investigation, warning that it raised questions about the integrity of ministerial appointments and accountability in government.
Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, made the allegation during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday while defending Tinubu’s direct oversight of government expenditure.
“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 peculiar to the ruling APC.
Hassan, however, did not name any minister allegedly involved or identify anyone who might have received the purported payments. He did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim during the interview.
Reacting, the ADC-PCC said the allegation could not be ignored, particularly because it came from a figure associated with the President’s political campaign.
“An allegation of this magnitude cannot simply be ignored or dismissed without a transparent explanation,” the council said.
It argued that, if substantiated, the claim would suggest that public appointments were being treated as private investments rather than positions of public trust.
The council said such a practice would raise concerns about whether decisions affecting millions of Nigerians were being influenced by the financial interests of those entrusted with public responsibility.
“At a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising living costs, insecurity, pressure on household incomes and persistent economic difficulties, the country cannot afford uncertainty over the integrity and priorities of those occupying its highest public offices,” it said.
The ADC-PCC urged Tinubu to address the nation and clarify whether he was aware of the allegation, whether an investigation had been initiated and what measures his administration intended to take.
It also challenged Hassan to substantiate his remarks by identifying the ministers allegedly involved, stating the amounts purportedly paid and disclosing the individuals who received the money.
The council further called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate any credible evidence of financial inducements connected to ministerial appointments.
It urged the National Assembly to consider a public inquiry into the matter, including inviting Hassan to explain his remarks and present any supporting evidence.
The council stressed that its demands were not a substitute for evidence or due process but were necessary to establish the facts and protect the integrity of public institutions.
“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 followed Hassan’s defence of Tinubu’s hands-on approach to government spending during the television interview, in which he questioned the need to give ministers control over budgetary allocations.
He argued that the President’s direct involvement in expenditure decisions was preferable to leaving such responsibilities entirely to ministers.
The remarks have raised questions about the relationship between political appointments, campaign financing and the management of public resources. However, the allegation remains unsubstantiated, and no specific minister has been identified as having paid to secure an appointment.
The ADC-PCC also linked the controversy to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, questioning whether the interests of ordinary Nigerians were receiving adequate attention.
As the country prepares for the 2027 general election, the council urged Nigerians to scrutinise the records and accountability of political leaders.
It also presented the presidential candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as an alternative platform for addressing governance, economic recovery and public accountability.
