Even as Senate President Ahmad Lawan accepted his fate in the Yobe North senatorial ticket controversy, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his home state has vowed to appeal last Wednesday’s judgment affirming Alhaji Bashir Machina as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district.
The Federal High Court in Damaturu declared Machina as the authentic APC candidate for the Yobe North senatorial election next 25th February.
Justice Fadima Aminu ordered the party to immediately send Machina’s name to the Independent Nation Electoral Commission (INEC) as the valid winner of its primary election held on 28th May.
Following that, the Senate President responded the next day by issuing a statement he personally signed in which he said he has accepted the judgment of the court, which disqualified his candidature and participation in the elections.
But on Friday, the Yobe State Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Mohammed Gadaka said the party would appeal the judgment, adding that it has a duty to protect Lawan.
His statement reads: “We are aware of the Wednesday, 28th September ruling of the Federal High Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with respect to the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial District election.
“However, we respectfully reject the decision of the President of the Senate, His Excellency 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 All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided to appeal the Federal High Court ruling in the interest of Yobe State, Nigeria and good governance.
“We have a duty to 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”.
Lawan has been in the National Assembly since the commencement of the Fourth Republic 23 years ago, having first served the Bade/Jakusko federal constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2007.
He was then elected Senator for Yobe North in 2007 and has now served four terms in the upper legislative chamber, becoming the Senate Majority Leader on 10th January 2017 and Senate President n 11th June 2019.
