‘You Can’t Deodorise a Skunk’: Tinubu’s Former Campaign Spokesman Onoh Faults Morka Over Alwan Hassan’s Remarks

By Reloaded News Desk

Denge Josef Onoh, a former South-East spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, over his defence of comments attributed to Alwan Hassan concerning alleged payments by ministerial aspirants to secure appointments.

Onoh, who also chairs the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, described Morka’s explanation of Hassan’s remarks as inadequate, arguing that the comments raised serious questions about the process of appointing ministers and public confidence in the administration.

In a statement, Onoh accused Morka of attempting to minimise the controversy by presenting Hassan’s comments as historical context rather than an allegation with implications for the present administration.

He said Morka should stop defending what he described as indefensible remarks, warning that the controversy could damage the APC’s public image if not addressed transparently.

Onoh questions interpretation of Hassan’s remarks

The controversy centres on comments attributed to Hassan during an appearance on Arise News’ Prime Time programme.

Hassan reportedly praised President Tinubu’s involvement in government expenditure before alleging that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover their investments.

“The way Asiwaju is hands-on on the expenditure of our revenue is fantastic, and I love it,” Hassan was quoted as saying.

He reportedly added that “a lot of ministers pay billions and billions” to secure appointments and that their first consideration after being appointed was how to recoup the money.

When the presenter reportedly challenged the statement as an indictment of the current cabinet, Hassan responded that he was speaking about Nigeria more broadly, including administrations before the APC came to power.

Onoh argued that Hassan’s use of the present tense, alongside the context in which the comments were made, made it difficult to interpret them exclusively as a reference to previous administrations.

He maintained that Morka’s reported explanation did not adequately address the substance of the allegation.

Constitutional implications of ministerial appointments

Onoh also invoked Section 147 of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides for the appointment of ministers by the President, subject to Senate confirmation and other constitutional requirements.

He argued that allegations that individuals pay substantial sums to secure ministerial positions raise serious questions about the integrity of public appointments and the accountability of those involved.

However, the constitutional provisions governing ministerial appointments do not, by themselves, establish that any payment was made to secure an appointment. The allegations attributed to Hassan would require supporting evidence, including identifiable transactions, named individuals or corroborating documentation.

Onoh calls for clarification and accountability

The former campaign spokesman said the controversy should not be allowed to persist without a substantive explanation from those involved.

He called on Hassan to identify the current or former ministers he was referring to, disclose the alleged intermediaries and provide details of any payments that could substantiate his claims.

Onoh further argued that if the APC leadership did not endorse the remarks, it should consider appropriate disciplinary action, rather than relying solely on public relations responses to manage the fallout.

He warned that leaving the allegations unanswered could undermine public confidence in the ruling party and create difficulties for its political messaging ahead of future elections.

Reaffirms support for Tinubu

Despite his criticism of Morka’s handling of the controversy, Onoh said his intervention was motivated by his support for democratic governance and the Tinubu administration.

He maintained that addressing the allegations transparently would be preferable to allowing the controversy to deepen.

Onoh’s comments add to the debate over Hassan’s remarks and the response from the APC’s leadership. The central issue remains whether the allegations can be substantiated and whether the relevant parties will provide a detailed public explanation.

As of the information contained in Onoh’s statement, no documentary evidence was presented to establish that any named minister paid money to secure an appointment.

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