Atiku dares Tinubu to name ministers, appointees involved in alleged bribery

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to identify those who allegedly received billions of naira in bribes from ministers seeking appointments into his administration.

Atiku’s demand followed allegations by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover the money after assuming office.

In a post on his X handle on Friday, Atiku questioned who allegedly received the payments, arguing that Nigerians deserved an explanation from the president.

“Bola @officialABAT, your campaign spokesman has admitted that ministers paid billions in bribes to secure their appointments. You appointed them, so who received the money? Nigerians deserve names, not silence,” Atiku wrote.

The former vice president also criticised the Tinubu administration over the rising cost of living, blaming the government’s policies and alleged restrictions on ministry funding for the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.

“Your government’s reckless decisions have driven the cost-of-living crisis. And when you withhold funds from ministries because you distrust your own ministers, Nigerians are left paying for a government that has abandoned them,” he added.

Hassan made the allegation during an interview on Arise News on Thursday while defending Tinubu’s performance ahead of the 2027 general election.

He claimed that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and prioritise recovering the money after taking office.

“A lot of ministers pay billions to be appointed, and the first thing they think of is how to recoup that money after being appointed,” Hassan said.

He further argued that the alleged practice was not exclusive to the current administration but had existed before the APC came to power.

“It is the truth about our country and not just APC ministers; it started before the APC,” he added.

However, Hassan did not name any minister who allegedly paid for an appointment or identify those who purportedly received the payments during the reported interview.

While defending the Tinubu administration, the APC campaign spokesperson also highlighted government initiatives in the power and education sectors, including funding for electricity meters and the renovation of primary schools and classrooms, as evidence of the administration’s performance ahead of the 2027 elections.

Atiku’s comments have brought renewed attention to Hassan’s allegations, particularly the question of who allegedly received the payments and whether evidence exists to substantiate the claims.

Neither the identities of the alleged payers and recipients nor further details of the purported transactions were provided in the statements cited in the report.

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