Victor Ezeja
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan appears to have lost his bid of returning to the upper chamber in 2023 as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has certified Bashir Sheriff Machina as the authentic winner of the ruling All Progressives Congress primary for the Yobe North Senatorial District.
The confirmation came through a certified true copy of INEC’s report of the May 28, 2022 primary election which that showed Machina scored 289 votes out of 300 delegates, mobilized for the exercise.
This, thus, corroborated Machina’s claim that he won the primary and legally emerged candidate of the party for general election next year.
Senator Lawan had after losing presidential nomination bid during the last APC special national convention, resorted to scheming for the ticket of Yobe North Senatorial District, with some of his supporters claiming that he was having Machina as placeholder.
Prime Business Africa recently reported that Machina wrote to the APC national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, confirming that he is not stepping for Lawan and was going on with the political aspiration of representing their senatorial district in the upper chamber.
READ ALSO: 2023: I am Still Candidate Of APC In Yobe North Senatorial Seat – Sheriff Machina
The Yobe politician said he was cleared by the party as an aspirant and proceeded to the primaries where he won the mandate to contest in the 2023 general election.
“I write to reaffirm my continual aspiration as the All Progressive Congress unequivocal senatorial candidate participation, and victory at the party primaries where I pulled 289 votes out of the 300 total votes cast.
“I write to reaffirm that I remain committed to the mandate which I won at the primaries, and I have not in any form or manner communicated otherwIse. I have been informed of a purported malicious, and mischievous report and insinuation to the contrary.
“Please note that I never at any time, signed or communicated in any form any intention to vacate the mandate, which was won at the primaries.
“I am totally commited to my mandate and am working towards delivering Yobe North Senatornal District to our Great Party, the All Progressives Congress,” Machina had written in a letter to Adamu a copy of which was seen by Prime Business Africa penultimate week.
Curiously, the APC national chairman on Monday, 20 June, 2022, in Abuja stated that the senate president participated in the election. This was considered by pundits as a shrewd attempt to subvert the mandate given to Mr Machina through the primary election and favour Lawan to enable him contest in the 2023 and perhaps, return to the red chamber.
The party went ahead to replace Machina’s name with that of Lawan in the senatorial candidates list.
Responding to questions from journalists about the emergence of Lawan that made his name appear in the list, Adamu refused to explain where and when the primary was conducted and how the Senate President won the mandate.
“Is there any law that says when you contest an election and lost, you shouldn’t contest another one?” Adamu queried.
“Go and find out from the person who is responsible for organising the primary. I have done my bit.
“I do know, in my honour, that he did participate within the timeline,” he claimed
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
