Akpabio denies promising Senate tickets to APC Primary losers, opposes public probe of military

By Johnson Arua

The Office of the President of the Senate has dismissed reports claiming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio promised to secure senatorial tickets for lawmakers who lost in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, describing the reports as misleading and inaccurate.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the office clarified that Akpabio neither made nor authorized any such promise to affected senators.

According to the statement, the Senate President merely expressed sympathy for colleagues impacted by the outcome of the party primaries and assured them that the APC leadership was working to address issues arising from the exercise.

The statement noted that Akpabio informed the senators that the party would release its final list of candidates in accordance with its constitution and established electoral guidelines.

“Senator Akpabio remains committed to party discipline, due process, and the internal mechanisms of the APC for resolving disputes,” the statement said, stressing that the Senate President would not interfere in the party’s autonomous processes or make commitments beyond the scope of his office.

The Senate President’s office also addressed reports concerning calls by a senator for the National Assembly to investigate the military over recent security challenges across the country.

While acknowledging that legislative oversight remains a constitutional duty of the National Assembly, the statement said Akpabio believes a public probe of the Armed Forces is not appropriate at this time.

According to the Senate President, the military is currently engaged in critical operations against terrorism, banditry and other security threats, and a public investigation could negatively affect troop morale and operational effectiveness.

Instead, Akpabio advocated greater collaboration and engagement between lawmakers and security agencies through closed-door mechanisms, arguing that such an approach would be more productive in addressing security concerns without creating distractions.

The statement emphasized that legislative oversight would continue to be exercised responsibly, but in a manner that supports ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity.

Akpabio also urged journalists and members of the public to disregard what he described as sensational interpretations of his comments and to seek clarification from his office before publishing reports attributed to him.