95% of Buhari’s ministers should be in jail — APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Alwan Hassan, has sparked controversy with claims that most ministers who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari abused their offices and should be prosecuted.

Hassan made the remarks during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme anchored by Seun Okinbaloye, where he accused the Buhari administration of weak oversight and excessive autonomy granted to ministers over public funds.

According to him, 95 per cent of ministers who served during Buhari’s eight-year tenure should be in jail if government records were properly examined.

“There has never been a time when ministers were given free rein without supervision like during Buhari’s administration. Their capital budgets were released 100 per cent, and nobody questioned what they did with the funds. If we open the books, 95 per cent of those people should be in jail by now. Only about five per cent were good,” Hassan said.

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Hassan also claimed that Buhari was aware of questionable practices within his cabinet, citing reports that the former president had warned some ministers to keep their documents because they might one day be asked to explain their actions. “Maybe he had seen what they were doing,” he said.

He further alleged that the absence of effective supervision turned ministers into independent power blocs. “Everyone was his own cabal. If you got the chance to meet Buhari and explain things to him, you became a cabal. Once you were appointed, your job was abdicated to you,” he noted.

Turning to the current administration, Hassan drew a sharp contrast between Buhari’s leadership style and that of President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as more hands-on, particularly in managing public finances.

“If you’re talking about a president who is hands-on with finance, it is Asiwaju. You’ve seen contractors like me complaining that we have not been paid. He knows his priorities and he enforces them,” he said.

He argued that opposition to Tinubu’s policies is inevitable, insisting that criticism of the administration should be viewed within the broader context of political rivalry. “There is always opposition to every good government. This one is no exception,” he said.

On security, Hassan defended the Tinubu administration’s record, saying the president personally monitors crises and ensures prompt responses, including suspending official trips when necessary.

He dismissed claims that insecurity has worsened, urging Nigerians to compare current conditions with the peak of violent attacks between 2012 and 2014.

“People drive to Kaduna. People drive from Abuja to Borno at night,” he said, adding that perceptions of worsening insecurity are often influenced by personal experiences.

Hassan attributed much of the criticism within the ruling party to envy and internal rivalry, particularly in northern Nigeria.

“Our problem is envy. People from the same party cook up lies and call for sackings. It’s dog-eat-dog,” he said.

He cited the recent rescue of kidnapped secondary school students in Kebbi State as an example of effective coordination under the current administration, praising the roles of the National Security Adviser and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

According to Hassan, Matawalle has become a political target because of his perceived effectiveness. “Anybody the president sends who delivers becomes a punching bag,” he said.

On the lingering crisis within the APC in Kano State, Hassan blamed leadership failure for the party’s divisions, arguing that the most senior APC office holder in the state had not provided effective direction.

He said internal fragmentation within the party has also complicated efforts to weaken the influence of former Kano governor and NNPP leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

“If we want to win Kano, we must either bring back Kwankwaso or negotiate with him. Without an alliance, the APC will not win Kano for the presidency,” Hassan said.