Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has demanded answers over allegations that some ministers paid billions of naira to secure appointments under President Bola Tinubu, questioning who allegedly collected the money and whether public funds were subsequently used to recover it.
Dalung’s reaction followed remarks by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, who alleged that some ministers paid huge sums to secure their positions and sought to recoup their investments after taking office.
The allegation has triggered questions about the integrity of political appointments, the cost of accessing public office and the possible implications for government spending.
In a statement, Dalung questioned whether ministerial appointments had become commercial transactions in which political appointees expected returns on money allegedly spent to secure their positions.
“Public office is a public trust, not a franchise for sale,” he declared.
He also challenged the explanation that President Tinubu deliberately withheld funds from ministries to prevent ministers from recovering their alleged investments.
Dalung argued that the claims raised issues that required clarification rather than dismissal as political controversy.
He called on Hassan to provide clarification if his allegations were unfounded and urged the Presidency and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate if there was evidence of payments for appointments or attempts to recover such money through public resources.
“Who allegedly sold these appointments, who collected the billions, and who expected Nigerians to finance the returns?” Dalung asked.
Hassan’s remarks, as cited by Dalung, did not identify any minister allegedly involved in the payments or name anyone who purportedly received the money.
The allegations also do not, on their own, establish that any minister paid for an appointment or diverted public funds to recover such payments.
However, Dalung’s intervention has shifted attention to the need for verifiable evidence, transparency in political appointments and accountability in the management of public finances.
The Presidency, the APC Presidential Campaign Council and the ministers concerned had not responded to the allegations in the material available for this report.
Any investigation would need to establish whether payments were made, who allegedly received them and whether public resources were used to facilitate any improper recovery.
For now, the claims remain allegations requiring clarification and independent verification.