The Supreme Court has affirmed the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Yobe North.
Speaking to journalists after the supreme court pronouncement, Lawan said this is a victory for APC in Yobe and all across Nigeria
In the lead judgment, Justice Centus Nweze on Monday faulted the approach of Bashir Machina in commencing the suit at the Federal High Court Damaturu division by way of originating summons and without oral evidence to prove allegations of fraud.
Lawan lauded the judiciary for his affirmative victory, stating that a better judiciary system serves the interest of the public irrespective of social status.
A three-member panel led by Justice Monica Dagban-Mensah of the Court of Appeal in Abuja also upheld the ruling. It affirmed the nomination of Machina as the authentic candidate of the APC for the senatorial district.
The appellate court observed that the APC argued its case and that of Senate President Ahmad Lawan in its brief but failed to make him a co-appellant instead of the second respondent.
The Senate President also thanked APC for not relenting despite the initial judgement ruled against the authenticity of his candidacy.
It was gathered that the senate president did not take part in the Yobe North senatorial primary, but the party had sent his name to INEC as its candidate.
Machina, who won the primary, had resisted pressure on him to step down for Lawan and headed for the court to seek justice.
The Senate president, Ahmed Lawan, after losing the presidential election of the APC, has been at loggerheads with Bashir Machinna over the senatorial ticket of Yobe North.
The fight for the Yobe North senatorial ticket has witnessed a lot of court rulings and dynamism, both in favour of and against the two candidates.
The federal high court has ruled in favour of Bashir Machinna as the certified and recognized candidate for the APC senatorial ticket for Yobe North. Still, with the latest Supreme Court judgment, the Senate President’s final ruling stands in favour.
It will be recalled that the senate president had earlier accepted the court judgment on the status of his candidacy after losing out at the Federal High Court in Damaturu on September 28, 2022, and promised to cease his sword in challenging the court ruling
The case was then challenged at the highest apex court. The Supreme Court recognized the Senate President as the candidate, thereby disqualifying Machina.
