Atiku’s Aide Calls for Probe of Alleged Payments for Ministerial Appointments

Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations that some ministers paid billions of naira to secure appointments in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Ibe made the call in a post on X on Friday, following allegations by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Alwan Hassan that some ministers allegedly paid for their positions and later sought to recover the money.

EFCC, ICPC Urged to Investigate

Ibe urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the claims and prosecute anyone found culpable.

He stressed that the allegations came from within the President’s political camp and should be investigated rather than dismissed as opposition criticism.

Ibe asked which ministers allegedly made the payments, who received the money, what evidence was available and whether President Tinubu knew about the alleged transactions.

Concerns Over Public Service

The former vice president’s aide argued that if public appointments were secured through payments, it could raise concerns about whether officeholders were prioritising recovering their alleged investments over serving Nigerians.

He also referenced earlier allegations linking the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to payments for ministerial consideration, saying the latest claims reinforced the need for an independent investigation. These claims remain allegations and have not been established by the information provided.

Ibe further argued that restrictions on funding to ministries should not replace investigations into alleged corruption, warning that essential public services should not suffer because of claims involving officials.

He called on President Tinubu to address the matter and urged the anti-corruption agencies to examine the evidence and investigate anyone implicated, regardless of political position.

Daily Post