Senate President Godswill Akpabio has clarified that he did not promise any All Progressives Congress (APC) senator who lost in the party primaries that they would be given return tickets for the next election.
He explained that his comments were misunderstood and that he only showed concern for senators who were affected by the outcome of the primaries.
Naijaonpoint reports that he did not make any promise to secure tickets for anyone.
A statement from his media aide, Eseme Sunday Eyiboh, said reports suggesting that Akpabio guaranteed senatorial tickets for losing aspirants were false. It stated that he never approved or authorised such claims.
The statement added that the Senate President only spoke in a general discussion with colleagues, where he expressed sympathy over their situation.
It also noted that the leadership of the APC is already handling issues that came up after the primaries, and that the final list of candidates will follow the party’s rules and guidelines.
Akpabio also stressed that he respects party processes and will not interfere in how candidates are chosen within the party structure.
The statement read partly, “The attention of the Office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to misleading reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that the President of the Senate has promised to secure senatorial tickets for senators who lost their party primaries.
“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 authorized to be made such a promise.
“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.
“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.”
