Senate president loses out as INEC confirms Machina Yobe North APC Senatorial candidate

The President of the senate Ahmed Lawan has lost out of the battle for his return to the red chambers as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the Yobe North senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election.

Lawan contested for the APC presidential primary election where he was earlier devlared consensus candidate by the party’s chaiman Abdullahi Adamu only foe some Governors of the party’ s fold to stage a coup against the chairman by insisting it was the turn of the South.

The President of the senate scored 152 votes to come fourth after Tinubu with 1070 votes, followed by Ameachi 316 and Osinbajo with 235.

Lawan’s name however resurfaced as the Party’s candidate for his Yobe Nort senatorial zone which was won by Bashir Sheriff Machina

According to the Commission, INEC has disassociated itself from the purported APC senatorial primary elections, which allegedly declared Ahmed Lawan as the candidate for the district.

The Yobe State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ahmed Makama, in a statement, yesterday in Damaturu, said, “The senatorial primaries for Yobe North district was held at the Government House, Gashua, in Bade Council of the state.”

Besides, he added that security agencies and electoral officers from the senatorial district assisted the Commission in conducting hitch-free primary elections.

He said Alhaji Danjuma Isa Munga conducted the election.

The senatorial primaries report, also indicated, Lawan Modu Sheriff led the planning committee conduct the election on May 28, 2022 to declare Machina, the senatorial candidate.

The Commission’s primary report has laid to rest, the issue of any purported primaries said to have produced Lawan as the candidate.

The law also provides that only election duly monitored by INEC is recognised.