The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognised Ahmad Lawan as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress for Yobe North Senatorial District instead of Bashir Machina.
Mr Lawan’s name was uploaded on INEC’s server by the ruling party alongside other senatorial candidates across the 36 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Peoples Gazette, APC had on Thursday, 16 June, written to INEC, informing the electoral body that Mr Lawan, Senate President since 2019, will be its nominee for the district.
Mr Lawan did not participate in the party’s primary. However, Bashir Machina contested the primary in the district and won. He has since refused all entreaties to step down and hand over the APC senatorial ticket to him.
Mr Machina had insisted he won’t be ceding his mandate to Mr Lawan because he duly won the senatorial primary while the Senate President was in Abuja pursuing the ruling party’s presidential ticket.
According to reports, Machina was the sole candidate for the Yobe North APC senatorial primaries, as all those who indicated interest were told not to contest to enable Machina to hold the ticket for Lawan in case he loses the presidential election.
Mr Lawan eventually lost the ticket to Bola Tinubu on June 8 and returned to his district to claim his party’s ticket for his sixth Senate run.
Comments