Former ministers and appointees under late President Buhari facing corruption allegations
All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alwan Hassan, has launched a scathing criticism of officials who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, claiming that the vast majority of them should be facing jail time over alleged abuse of power and corruption.
Hassan made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme aired on Tuesday, while reacting to the growing scrutiny of some former Buhari-era ministers.
“95 per cent of the ministers under Buhari should be in jail by now,” Hassan declared.
According to him, the eight years of the Buhari administration were marked by a lack of oversight that allowed ministers to operate without restraint.
“There has never been a time when ministers got free hands without supervision like Buhari’s eight years in office,” he said.
Hassan claimed that even the former president appeared aware that his ministers would one day be called to account.
“You’ve heard what people are saying. The former president even told them to keep their documents ready because there will come a day when they’ll be asked to explain themselves. Maybe he has seen what they are doing,” he added.
The APC chieftain alleged that corruption was widespread during the administration, which ran from 2015 to 2023, describing the era as a “free-for-all.”
“There has never been a time when government budgets were 100 per cent released without interference by the presidency like Buhari’s time,” Hassan said. “Ministers were given free rein. They did what they wanted. Everyone was his own cabal.”
He further explained that access to the president often translated into influence.
“If you got the chance to meet Buhari and explain things, you became a cabal,” he said. “The nation was at peace. People were doing what they wanted. If you were appointed under Buhari, your job was largely abdicated to you. There was no supervision.”
Despite his sweeping criticism, Hassan acknowledged that not all officials from the era were culpable.
“Those good men around those years are the 5 per cent. There are a few good people, very few good men around,” he stated.
Hassan contrasted the Buhari era with the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which he described as more hands-on, particularly in matters of finance.
“This government is hands-on. If you’re talking about government finance, it’s Asiwaju. Everyone knows this,” he said. “Contractors like me are still shouting about unpaid sums. He is careful; he knows his priorities. It is not business as usual.”
*Former Ministers Under Scrutiny*
Hassan’s comments come amid heightened investigations into several officials who served during Buhari’s tenure, with allegations ranging from corruption to financial misconduct.
Among those facing scrutiny are Sadiya Umar-Farouq, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, who is being investigated over the alleged mismanagement of social intervention funds.
Saleh Mamman, former Minister of Power, is accused of involvement in a money-laundering scheme, while Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation, is facing charges linked to the controversial Nigeria Air project and other aviation contracts.
Also under investigation are Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, over alleged financial misconduct, and Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who is facing charges related to alleged mismanagement of public funds.
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