INEC confirms Machina, denies Lawan Yobe North senatorial seat

The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the real candidate of Yobe Zone C Senatorial District for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to reports, INEC has disassociated itself from the emergence of Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.

Releasing a statement yesterday, INEC said, “The position of the Electoral Umpire was contained in a legally admissible Certified True Copy (CTC) of INEC report for the primary election dated yesterday,23rd June 2022.”

INEC confirms Bashir Sheriff Machina Pulse Nigeria

The Yobe North senatorial ticket sparked controversy after Machina, who won the primary, made it clear he would not step down for Senate President.

Lawan had contested for the APC presidential ticket in May, but lost to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Also, no records of Lawan's participation in the APC senatorial primaries were presented by the APC, although the APC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, disclosed that the aspirant took part in the elections.

However, Lawan, who currently represents Yobe north district, was eventually listed as the APC senatorial candidate for the 2023 general election, leaving Machina who actually won the elections out of the picture.

The APC chairman had urged Machina to step down for Lawan, but he refused.

With INEC now recognising Machina as the candidate, we await the APC's response to the situation.