The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe state has vowed to appeal the court judgment that declared Bashir Machina as the authentic senatorial candidate of the party for Yobe North.

A Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State, had on Wednesday ruled that Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is not the candidate of the APC for the senatorial district in next year’s election into the National Assembly.

The court ruled that Machina is the authentic candidate of the party having won the legally recognised primary election supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

There has been controversy over the APC Yobe North senatorial ticket.

Machina won the primary election organised by the party in May. Meanwhile, Lawan participated in the presidential primary election organised by the APC in June but lost to former Lagos Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Machina was asked to step down for Lawan but he insisted that he would not withdraw for the Senate President.

Amid the controversy, the APC submitted the Senate President’s name to INEC as its senatorial candidate for Yobe North.

Aggrieved, Machina instituted a suit asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 election.

In the judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Fadimatu Aminu nullified the parallel primary election that produced Lawan on June 9, 2022.

The judge also ordered the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary held in May.

Lawan subsequently accepted the verdict and said he would not appeal.

Reacting in a statement, on Friday, chairman of the APC in Yobe, Mohammed Gadaka, said the party has a duty to protect Lawan.

“We are aware of the Wednesday, September 28, 2022, ruling of the Federal High Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with respect to the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial District election.

“However, we respectfully reject the decision of the President of the Senate, His Excellency Senator Ahmad Lawan, accepting the judgment of the court which disqualified his candidature and participation in the election.

“In exercise of our legal rights, the Yobe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided to appeal the Federal High Court ruling in the interest of Yobe State, Nigeria and good governance.

“We have a duty to protect and sustain Senator Ahmed Lawan’s twenty-three years exemplary sojourn as a lawmaker and his impeccable record of leadership and patriotism – and commitment to making Nigeria work,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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