The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) and the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) have demanded investigations into allegations that some ministers paid to secure appointments under President Bola Tinubu and are now seeking to recoup their investments.
The allegations were reportedly made by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for Tinubu’s campaign council, during a live television programme, where he allegedly claimed that some ministers paid money to secure their positions.
In separate statements on Tuesday, the opposition parties challenged Tinubu to address the allegations, warning that they raised serious questions about the integrity of ministerial appointments and the possible commercialisation of public offices.
The ADC-PCC, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, demanded an unequivocal response from the Presidency, asking whether Tinubu knew about the alleged payments and whether an investigation had commenced.
“An allegation of this magnitude cannot simply be ignored or dismissed without a transparent explanation,” the council said, urging Hassan to identify the ministers involved, disclose the amounts allegedly paid and name the recipients.
Similarly, the MDPCO, operating on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement, accused Tinubu of failing to address the controversy five days after the allegation reportedly surfaced.
“The President’s silence validates public apprehension that either he is not in control or he sits in approval of a corrupt and fraudulent system where public offices are reduced to commodities sold to the highest bidders,” the organisation said in a statement signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa.
Both campaign groups warned that ministers who allegedly paid for their appointments could seek to recover their investments through public funds, potentially undermining governance and diverting resources from national development.
The ADC-PCC urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate any evidence of financial inducements, while calling on the National Assembly to conduct a public inquiry and invite Hassan to substantiate his claims.
The MDPCO also demanded an EFCC probe and prosecution of anyone found culpable, linking the alleged scandal to Nigeria’s economic difficulties, insecurity and infrastructure deficit. It urged Nigerians to demand accountability ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“Public office is a responsibility, not a commercial transaction,” the ADC-PCC said, insisting that appointments should be based on competence, integrity and commitment to national service rather than financial inducements.
The two organisations also presented their respective political alternatives ahead of the 2027 election, with the ADC-PCC backing former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the MDPCO promoting its proposed four-year “Reset Nigeria” agenda under the Seyi Makinde-led ticket.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the calls for investigation are intended to determine the facts and establish whether any wrongdoing occurred.