Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to identify those who allegedly collected billions of naira in bribes from ministers to secure appointments.
Atiku threw the challenge in a statement posted on his verified 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.
He was reacting to a claim made by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Alwan Hassan.
Hassan had during an interview on Arise Television 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.
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Reacting, Atiku said, “Bola, 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.”
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.
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