By Adegboyega Adeleye
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to identify those who allegedly received billions of naira in bribes from ministers to secure appointments, following the allegation by All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign spokesperson Alwan Hassan.
Atiku made the demand in a post on his X handle on Friday, questioning who received the alleged payments and criticising the Tinubu administration over the rising cost of living and the funding of ministries.
“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 blamed the administration’s decisions for the cost-of-living crisis, alleging that the government’s handling of ministry funding had left Nigerians bearing the consequences.
“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.
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 Abubakar (@atiku) October 23, 2026
Your government’s reckless decisions have driven the cost-of-living… pic.twitter.com/OlNYIfOCbf
Hassan, a spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, made the allegation during an interview on Arise News on Thursday while defending Tinubu’s record ahead of the 2027 general election.
He alleged that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and then focus on recovering the money after assuming office. He also maintained that the practice was not limited to the APC administration but predated the party’s time in government.
“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.
“It is the truth about our country and not just APC ministers; it started before the APC,” he added.
Hassan did not name any minister who allegedly paid for an appointment or identify the recipients of the purported payments in the reported interview.
While defending Tinubu’s administration, the APC campaign spokesperson also cited government initiatives in the power sector and education, including funding for electricity meters and the renovation of primary schools and classrooms, as examples of the administration’s performance ahead of the 2027 election.
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