Senate President Godswill Akpabio has refuted reports claiming he promised to secure automatic senatorial tickets for lawmakers who lost their primary elections.
In a statement released by his media office, Akpabio clarified that he merely expressed sympathy for affected senators and assured them the party leadership is addressing primary disputes.
Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, stated that reports alleging the Senate President promised to secure tickets for lawmakers who lost out in the primaries are misleading and inaccurate.
According to his aide, Akpabio merely empathised with the adversely affected senators and informed them that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership was actively working to resolve grievances from the primaries.
“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.
“We must categorically assert that this report does not reflect the position of the President of the Senate. For the record, Senator Akpabio has neither made nor authorized to be made such promise.
“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.
“He assured them 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.
“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.”
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On comments regarding security and legislative oversight, Akpabio noted another report quoting a senator on the need for the Senate to probe the military over recent security incidents.
“While legislative oversight is a constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly, Senator Akpabio’s position is that this is not the opportune moment for a public probe 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 Senate President said he believed strongly that support, collaboration, and closed-door engagements with security agencies are more productive at this critical time.
“Oversight will be exercised responsibly, without creating distractions that embolden adversaries or divert attention from the urgent task of securing Nigeria and its people.”
Senator Akpabio urged the media and the public to disregard sensational and inaccurate misrepresentations of his remarks and to always seek clarification from his office before publication.
