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.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has described as misleading, reports that he promised to secure senatorial tickets for senators who lost their party prprimaries.
In a statement signed by his media advisor, Eseme Eyiboh, on Saturday, he said he never made nor authorised any of such a promise to be made to his colleagues.
The statement said, “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 aauthorised to be made such promise.
“What the President of the Senate actually said, in the course of interacting with his colleagues, was to empathise 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.”
He also clarified reports on the need for the Senate to probe the military over recent security incidents, saying this is not the right time to put the Armed forces under a public probe in order not to dampen their moral.
“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,” he stated.
The Senate President added that he believes 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,” he stated.