Yobe APC To Appeal Machina’s Court Victory

The Yobe chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it would appeal the Federal High Court judgement which declared Bashir Machina as its senatorial candidate for Yobe North despite the decision of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to accept the court’s decision.

Yobe APC chairman Mohammed Gadaka said the judgement was not acceptable to the party.

Gadaka, in a statement yesterday said Lawan remained the candidate of the party for the election.

The statement said: “We are aware of the Wednesday, September 28, 2022 ruling of the Federal High Court in Damaturu concerning the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial District election.

“However, we respectfully reject the decision of the president of the senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, accepting the judgment of the court which disqualified his candidature and participation in the election.

“In exercise of our legal rights, the Yobe State chapter of the APC has decided to appeal the ruling in the interest of Yobe State, Nigeria and good governance. We must protect and sustain Senator Ahmed Lawan’s 23 years exemplary sojourn as a lawmaker and his impeccable record of leadership and patriotism and commitment to making Nigeria work.”

Justice Fadima Murtala Aminu of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, Yobe State on Wednesday declared Machina as APC senatorial candidate for Yobe North. The judge also ordered the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary election, and dismissed the primary election where the senate president emerged as the senatorial candidate as a “phantom.”

Lawan, who participated in the presidential primary of the APC and lost to Ahmed Tinubu, went for the ticket of his senatorial district, a move challenged by Machina who asserted that he duly participated in the primaries and won the ticket.

Reacting to the court judgment in a statement on Thursday, the senate president said he would not appeal the decision and accepted Machina as the rightful candidate.