2023: Machina loses as supreme court affirms Lawan as APC senatorial candidate in Yobe

The supreme court has affirmed Ahmed Lawan, the senate president, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Yobe north.

In a majority judgment delivered on Monday, February 6, the apex court approved the appeal filed by the APC against Bashir Machina’s candidature.

Recall that there has been controversy over the senatorial ticket of the APC in Yobe north.

Machina won unopposed during the primary organized by the party in May 2022.

However, the senate president participated in the party’s presidential primary, and lost the ticket to former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu, in June 2022.

Afterwards, Machina was asked to step down for Lawan but he insisted that he is the rightful candidate.

Amid the controversy, the APC submitted the senate president’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate for Yobe north.

The electoral commission subsequently refused to list any candidate for the district.

Machina instituted a suit asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate.

Amid the controversy, the APC submitted the senate president’s name to the INEC as the candidate for Yobe north.

The electoral commission subsequently refused to list any candidate for the district.

Machina instituted a suit asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate.

In September, a federal high court in Damaturu, Yobe state capital, ordered APC and INEC to recognize Machina as the candidate.

Similarly, on November 28, a court of appeal in Abuja affirmed Machina as the candidate of the APC for the Yobe north senatorial district.