Nepotism under AKP rule: Deputy minister given job in former Istanbul Municipality at age of 18

Duvar English

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has revealed that Ömer Fatih Sayan, the brother of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, was handed a job in former Istanbul Municipality when he was just 18 years old. 

Ömer Fatih Sayan currently serves as a deputy minister at the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry. 

In recent weeks, an investigation has been launched into 38 AKP members and affiliates who allegedly received a total of 62.5 million Turkish Liras in scholarships to study abroad. The scholarships were granted by Istanbul Municipality when it was controlled by the AKP.

AKP deputies - many of whom went on to have high-ranking positions inside of the party - were among those who received millions in scholarships. CHP MP Murat Emir has announced that AKP MP Sayan Kaya received nearly 1.5 million liras to study abroad.

Through publicly available information, the CHP deputy also revealed that Ömer Fatih Sayan was given a job in the municipality just as he began university. According to his official biography, he began working for Istanbul Municipality (İBB) in 1995, the same year he began his studies in electrical engineering at Istanbul University. 

“He started working for the İBB as soon as he entered the university at the age of 18! He became a ghost worker. Looting throughout the family,” Emir wrote on social media.

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