President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed reports claiming he promised to secure senatorial tickets for lawmakers who lost in their party primaries, describing the reports as misleading and inaccurate.
In a statement issued over the weekend by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President said he neither made nor authorised any such promise. The statement explained that Akpabio was merely expressing sympathy to colleagues affected by the outcome of the primaries during an interaction with them.
According to the statement, Akpabio assured the affected lawmakers that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress was working to address issues arising from the primaries and that the party would release its final list of candidates in accordance with its constitution and electoral guidelines.
The Senate President reiterated his commitment to party discipline and due process, stressing that he would not interfere with the internal processes of the APC or make commitments beyond the authority of the National Assembly leadership.
The statement also addressed reports suggesting that a senator had called for a public Senate probe into recent security incidents involving the military. While acknowledging that legislative oversight is a constitutional responsibility, Akpabio maintained that this was not the appropriate time for a public investigation of the Armed Forces.
He argued that with troops currently engaged in operations against terrorism, banditry and other security threats across the country, a public legislative inquiry could negatively affect their morale and operational effectiveness.
Instead, Akpabio advocated continued collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies, saying oversight responsibilities would be carried out in a manner that supports national security efforts without creating unnecessary distractions.
The Senate President urged journalists and members of the public to disregard what he described as sensational and inaccurate interpretations of his remarks and advised media organisations to seek clarification from his office before publishing reports concerning his position on sensitive political and security matters.
