(From left): Ahmad Lawan and Bashir Machina
Machina/Lawan: Court to rule on contentious Yobe North APC senatorial ticket, Sept. 28
Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State has fixed September 28 to rule in the suit filed by Bashir Machina, in the disputed All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Yobe North senatorial zone against Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
While Machina won the primary election monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and stands as party candidate, the APC hierarchy, however, has continued to push for the commission to adopt its preferred candidate, Lawan, as standard bearer for the 2023 polls in the senatorial zone of the state.
APC concluded its primary election for the senatorial ticket on May 28, 2022, which Machina won, while Lawan contested the party’s presidential primary poll in Abuja.
However, at the conclusion of the presidential primary election which Lawan lost, the APC had moved to replace Machina with the Senate President, claiming that the former had signed an agreement to step down for the latter.
Machina’s suit at the Federal High Court against the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Senate President Ahmad Lawan seeks to compel the electoral umpire to recognise him as duly elected candidate of the party at the 2023 polls.
Justice Fadima Aminu had reserved judgement in the suit after a heated argument among counsels to the plaintiff and the defendants.
INEC has continued to insist on adopting Machina as candidate of the APC in the Yobe North senatorial poll, as its officials monitored the primary election which produced him in the exercise which Lawan, the Senate president did not participate in, as he was involved in the presidential bid.
APC has submitted the name of Lawan to beat the deadline day for submission of candidates, prompting Machina to head to court.
INEC has urged the parties to the dispute to resolve the matter internally or seek redress in court, even as the APC risks being disqualified from the election in the state for failing to submit the name of a duly elected candidate from a primary poll conducted for the senatorial zone.
