‘I never promised to secure tickets for Senators’ – Akpabio reveals

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed reports alleging that he promised automatic senatorial tickets to lawmakers who were unsuccessful in the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections.

The reports emerged after comments suggesting that efforts were being made to secure favourable outcomes for serving senators affected by the party’s primary process.

Speaking on Tuesday while welcoming senators back from a three-week recess and the Eid-el-Kabir holiday, Akpabio clarified his position and rejected claims that he had guaranteed tickets to any lawmaker who lost during the APC primaries.

Akpabio suggested that efforts were underway to reduce the political fallout from the primary season for senators.

“And in this senate, we are promised that we will have very few disappointments. And I do know that the senate leader and the leadership of the senate are working very hard towards that,” he said.

‘APC LEADERSHIP ADDRESSING ISSUES FROM PRIMARIES’

In a statement issued on Saturday by Eseme Eyiboh, special adviser on media and publicity, Akpabio described the reports as misleading.

The senate president said he neither made nor authorised any promise to secure tickets for senators affected by the outcome of the party’s primaries.

According to the statement, Akpabio merely expressed sympathy for senators who were adversely affected by the outcome of the exercise.

The statement said he assured the lawmakers that the APC leadership was working to address issues arising from the primaries.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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.”

The senate president said he remains committed to party discipline and due process.

The statement added that Akpabio would not interfere in the internal processes of the APC or make commitments beyond the authority of the national assembly leadership.

Fourteen serving senators were defeated during the APC primaries across different states.

The senate president also addressed reports quoting a senator who called for a legislative investigation into recent security incidents involving the military.

The statement said legislative oversight remains a constitutional responsibility of the national assembly.

However, Akpabio said this is not the right time for a public probe of the armed forces.

“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,” he said.

“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 collaboration and closed-door engagements with security agencies would be more productive under the circumstances.

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