. Senate President Lawan, Machina lose out
Independent National Electoral Commission may have left out the names of both Senate President Ahmad Lawan and winner of the All Progressives Congress Senatorial primary election for Yobe North, Hon Bashir Machina from its list of Senatorial candidates in the 2023 general elections.
It was learnt from credible source at the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, that INEC did not publish anyone as the APC candidate for the district.
The source said INEC only published the names of Mohammed Bomoi for Yobe South and Ibrahim Geidam for Yobe East Senatorial Districts, while that of Yobe North APC was left empty.
Head of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Damaturu office, Mrs Rifkatu Duku, confirmed APC has no candidate for the seat.
Duku said, ”No credentials of APC candidates for Zone C have been submitted to the office from the headquarters. We have received credentials of candidates for the National Assembly and presidential election.
“But we did not get that of Zone C, ie Yobe north for APC. We got that of Yobe south and Yobe eat which is the Ibrahim Bomoi and former Governor Gaidam.”
Recall that APC’s submission of Lawan’s name as candidate for the party has continued to generate controversies as the winner of the primary election monitored by INEC, Machina has insisted he won’t step down for the Senate President.
He has insisted he’s the authentic candidate for the election, vowing to retrieve his mandate.