By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has affirmed Bashir Machina as the authentic All Progressives Congress (APC)senatorial candidate for Yobe North Sanetorial District, Yobe State.
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan was challenging the decision of Justice Fadimatu Aminu of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, which had on September 28, 2022, declared Machina as winner of the primary election organised by the APC in May 2022, while Lawan opted to contest the presidential primary election organised by the APC in June.
However, Lawan lost the APC presidential ticket to former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.
A 3-man panel of the Appeal court justices, presided over by the President of the court of the Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensen, gave the affirmation in an unanimous decision, Monday.
Machina was asked to step down for Lawan, which he refused, however, the APC submitted the Senate President’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) as its senatorial candidate for Yobe North.
Irked by the turn of events, Machina headed to court to seek redress, praying the court to declare him as the validly elected senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 election.
Recall that Justice Aminu had nullified the parallel primary election that produced Lawan on June 9, 2022.
Consequently, the trial judge ordered the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary held in May.
