Yobe North: Lawan loses return bid as Appeal Court ratifies Machina as APC senatorial candidate

Bashir Sheriff Machina has been declared as the legitimate All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Yobe North Senatorial District by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State, affirmed its decision on Monday, that Ahmad Lawan, the president of the Senate, was not the APC candidate for the Yobe North Senatorial District in the next election for the National Assembly.

The court had argued that Mr. Lawan did not take part in the APC’s duly authorized primary poll to choose its nominee for the election conducted on May 28, 2022.

The primary election held by the party on June 9 was unconstitutional because it was conducted in violation of the constitution, according to a three-member panel of the appellate court led by justice Monica Dongban-Mensem in its ruling on the appeal filed by the President of the Senate.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is mandated by law to oversee party primaries; but, on June 9th, the electoral commission did not participate in this exercise.

Ahmed Lawan was the candidate that the APC preferred to present to the appellate court, but it was unsuccessful in having him join as a co-appellant.

Mr. Lawan’s appearance in the case as the second respondent showed that he and the APC were attempting to accomplish a goal while working against each other, the court stated.

Consequently, the Court ruled that the appeal was unjustified and the first respondent, Bashir Sheriff, was entitled to reimbursement from the appellant (APC) in the amount of N1 million.

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