Court throws out Senate Pres. Lawan, orders INEC to publish Machina as Yobe North senatorial candidate

The hope of Senate President Ahmad Lawan returning to the Upper legislative chamber was again dashed as a Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State Capital, nullified the candidature of Lawan for the 2023 senatorial poll.

The court on Wednesday declared Bashir Sheriff Machina as the All Progressives Congress’ authentic senatorial candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District.

Justice Fadima Murtala Aminu, who gave the order, directed the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary held on May 28, 2022.

He described the primary election which produced Lawan as the senatorial candidate as “phantom”.

Persecondnews recalls that Lawan had contested the party’s presidential primary with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Rotimi Amaechi and others while the senatorial primary was being conducted simultaneously.

Tinubu won the primary while the party had prevailed on Machina, who won the ticket to step down for Lawan.