Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed as misleading media reports alleging that he promised to secure senatorial tickets for lawmakers who lost their party primaries.
In a statement issued at the weekend by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Senator Akpabio said he neither made nor authorised any such commitment.
According to the statement, the Senate President was merely expressing empathy with colleagues affected by the outcome of their primaries during a private interaction.
“He assured them that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is actively working to resolve 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 read.
It added that Senator Akpabio remains committed to party discipline and due process, and will not interfere with the APC’s autonomous processes nor make commitments outside the remit of National Assembly leadership.
The statement also responded to separate reports quoting a senator calling for a public probe by the Senate into recent security incidents involving the military. While acknowledging that legislative oversight is a constitutional duty, Akpabio maintained 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 statement said.
Akpabio believes that “support, collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies are more productive at this critical time.” He added 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.”
The Senate President urged the media and public to disregard the “sensational and inaccurate misrepresentation of his remarks” and to seek clarification from his office before publication.