The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has accepted the judgment of Yobe State High Court which disqualified him from participating in the next year’s National Assembly Elections on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
Lawan in a statement he personally signed on Thursday, said he would not appeal the judgment delivered on Wednesday in Damaturu the Yobe State capital, which denied him the opportunity to represent the Yobe North Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly.
The Senate President said he “has accepted the judgment of the court which disqualified his candidature and participation in the elections.”
Part of the statement titled: “Yesterday, Wednesday, 28th September, 2022, the Federal High Court in Damaturu delivered judgment on the rightful candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 National Assembly elections.
“The said judgment disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.
“After due consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers, I have decided not to appeal against the judgement. I accept the judgement.
“At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe State.
“I also thank His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni for the support and brotherhood.
“To my constituents, I thank you all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe State.
“I want to assure you that I will continue to serve you in my personal and any other capacity at all times.
“We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.”
A Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State had on September 28, affirmed Mr. Bashir Machina, as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Yobe North Senatorial District.
Justice Fadima Aminu, delivered the verdict in Damaturu, the state capital on Wednesday.
She had earlier reserved judgement on the tussle regarding the senatorial ticket after a heated argument between counsels to the plaintiff and the defendants on September 25.
Machina emerged the winner of the primary election supervised by INEC officials. The senate president did not participate in the primary election.
The suit was filed by the winner of the All Progressives Congress’ senatorial primary election for Yobe North, Bashir Machina.
He filed the suit against the APC, Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan regards the primary election held on May 28, 2022.
Machina is asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 election.
With the new development, his fate will be determined on Wednesday by the court.
Lawan is currently locked in battle with Machina for the ticket.
Machina emerged the winner of the primary election supervised by INEC officials. The senate president did not participate in the primary election.
At the time the exercise was held, Lawan was pursuing his presidential ambition but lost to former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.
Rather than submit the name of the elected candidate, the name of the senate president was submitted to the commission by the ruling APC, a move that led to the deliberate omission of their names from the published particulars of candidates in late June.
To clarify the brewing controversy around the seat, INEC, on at least two occasions, said it rejected the senate president’s name because he had not been validly nominated for the senatorial seat.
