Atiku Demands Names of Those Behind Alleged Bribes for Ministerial Appointments
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to identify those who allegedly received billions of naira from ministers seeking appointments into his administration.
Atiku made the demand on Friday in a post on his X account, following allegations by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.
Hassan had alleged during an interview on Arise Television that some ministers paid billions of naira to secure their appointments and subsequently sought to recover the money after assuming office.
Reacting to the claim, Atiku questioned who received the alleged payments, insisting 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,” he wrote.
The former vice-president also criticised the Tinubu administration over the rising cost of living, blaming the government’s policies for the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
He further faulted the alleged withholding of funds from ministries over concerns about ministers, arguing that citizens were bearing the consequences of the administration’s decisions.
“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,” Atiku added.
Hassan had made the allegation while defending Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general election.
He claimed that some ministers paid huge sums to obtain government appointments and prioritised recovering the money once they assumed 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 also maintained that the alleged practice predated the APC administration and was not limited to ministers serving under the ruling party.
However, Hassan did not name any minister who allegedly paid to secure an appointment or identify the individuals who purportedly received the money during the interview.
Atiku’s response has renewed scrutiny of the allegations, with the former vice-president calling on Tinubu to provide answers about the alleged payments and the integrity of the ministerial appointment process.
The bribery claims have not been substantiated with specific evidence in the statements cited by the two politicians.
