Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan has given up on contesting the senatorial candidacy of Alhaji Bashir Machina for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe North district.
The Federal High Court in Damaturu on Wednesday confirmed Machina as the candidate of the party for the district, which Lawan has represented since 2007.
Lawan has been in the National Assembly since the commencement of the Fourth Republic having first served the Bade/Jakusko federal constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2007.
In her almost two hours judgment, Justice Fadima Aminu ordered the APC to immediately send Machina’s name to the Independent Nation Electoral Commission (INEC) as the valid winner of the party’s primary election for the held on 28th May.
The judge described the primary election that produced Lawan as senatorial candidate as a “phantom and therefore a nullity”.
In the statement, which he personally signed and released on Thursday, the Senate President said he has accepted the judgment of the court which disqualified his candidature and participation in the elections.
The statement reads:“Yesterday, Wednesday, 28th September 2022, the Federal High Court in Damaturu delivered judgment on the rightful candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 National Assembly elections.
“The said judgement disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.
“After due consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers, I have decided not to appeal against the judgment. I accept the judgment.
“At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe State. I also thank His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni for the support and brotherhood.
“To my constituents, I thank you all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe State”.
He assured his constituents that he would continue to serve them both personally and in any other capacity at all times.
“We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah”, Lawan said.
Hours after the judgment, Machina issued a statement describing the judgment as “a victory for justice”.
Machina, who vehemently refused to withdraw from the race in favour of Lawan, sued the APC and INEC seeking to be recognised as the party’s senatorial candidate, having won the primary.
Machina called on all his supporters, and the people of Yobe North, to remain peaceful, and not to react in the face of any provocation, the statement by his media aide, Husaini Isa stated.
He also called for reconciliation among the two groups within the party in the senatorial district.
“I welcome the decision of the judge of the Federal High Court, Damaturu. It is a victory that stands for justice. It is now time to set aside our differences and close ranks for the impending battle, the next war we must wage is the war for APC’s victory in the coming 2023 general elections.
“I am particularly happy that the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni places much emphasis on reconciliation as a virile tool for peaceful co-existence, we must therefore embrace it and move forward”, the senatorial candidate said.
Machina also thanked all his supporters for their fervent prayers and unflinching support saying, he would work hard, if eventually elected as Senator to touch the lives of his constituents in a very positive way.
