President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed reports suggesting that he promised to secure senatorial tickets for members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who lost in the party’s primary elections.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio described the reports as misleading and a misrepresentation of his remarks during interactions with affected senators.
“The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to misleading reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that the President of the Senate has promised to secure senatorial tickets for senators who lost their party primaries,” the statement said.
The Senate President’s office stressed that “this report does not reflect the position of the President of the Senate,” adding that “for the record, Senator Akpabio has neither made nor authorised to be made such promise.”
According to the statement, Akpabio merely expressed sympathy for senators adversely affected by the outcome of the APC primaries and assured them that the party leadership was taking steps to address concerns arising from the exercise.
“What the President of the Senate actually said, in the course of interacting with his colleagues, was to empathize with senators who were affected negatively by the outcome of their primary elections,” Eyiboh stated.
He added that Akpabio assured the lawmakers that “the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is actively working to address all issues arising from the primaries and that the final list of candidates will be released in due course in line with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.”
The statement further emphasised Akpabio’s commitment to party discipline and due process, noting that he would not interfere in the internal affairs of the ruling party.
“Senator Akpabio remains committed to party discipline, due process, and the internal mechanisms of the APC for resolving disputes.
“He will not interfere with the autonomous processes of the party or make commitments that are outside the purview of the National Assembly leadership,” the statement added.
The Senate President’s office also addressed reports concerning calls for a Senate probe into the military over recent security incidents.
While acknowledging that legislative oversight is a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly, Akpabio maintained that this was not the appropriate time for a public investigation of the Armed Forces.
“At a time when our troops are engaged on multiple fronts against terrorism, banditry and other threats to national security, subjecting the military to a public legislative inquisition could undermine their morale and operational focus,” the statement said.
According to the Senate President, support, collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies would be more productive under the current security situation.
“The Senate President believes strongly that support, collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies are more productive at this critical time,” the statement noted, adding that oversight would be exercised responsibly “without creating distractions that embolden adversaries or divert attention from the urgent task of securing Nigeria and its people.”
Akpabio also urged journalists and members of the public to verify information from his office before publication and disregard what he described as sensational and inaccurate reports regarding his comments.