No ministers paid billions for appointments, APC insists
APC Denies Allegations of Ministerial Payoffs
By Dickson Omobola
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday refuted claims that ministers are paying billions of Naira to secure their appointments. The party stated that comments made by its Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson, Alwan Hassan, pertained to historical practices rather than current realities within the administration.
During a recent interview on Arise TV, Hassan suggested that some ministers invest significant sums to obtain their positions, subsequently seeking to recoup these costs. He stated, “The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic… A lot of ministers pay billions and billions to get themselves appointed, and the first thing they think of is how to recoup that money.”
In response to the backlash generated by these statements, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka raised questions about the feasibility of ministers recovering such substantial expenses within Nigeria’s budgetary constraints.
Appearing on the same Arise TV program, Morka clarified that Hassan’s comments were not directed at the current administration but should be understood within a historical framework. “What he was referring to was not really about this administration… he was speaking historically,” Morka explained. He suggested that Hassan’s remarks might have caused confusion, with some interpreting them as comments about current practices.
Morka emphasized that Hassan had indicated his comments were intended to highlight past behaviors, not those of the present. He noted the importance of distinguishing between different time periods when discussing such sensitive topics. “If I say there’s corruption in Nigeria, I’m not necessarily saying that this government is corrupt,” Morka added.
Further discussing lobbying practices, Morka remarked, “In other democracies, lobbying for appointments is not something unusual,” comparing it to practices seen in countries like the United States. However, he expressed concern about the monetization of lobbying, stating, “When lobbying becomes monetised, where people pay money to operators or to individuals with influence to procure appointments, that… is what is really wrong.”
The APC’s response highlights ongoing debates about integrity and ethics in government appointments amid increasing scrutiny of the political landscape in Nigeria.
