By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The quest of Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan to return to the State may have been revived as the Supreme Court on Monday sacked the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Yobe North, Bashir Machina.
The supreme court affirmed Ahmad Lawan as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Yobe North, setting aside the candidature of Machina who earlier had been pronounced candidate by High and Appeal Court.
In a majority judgment, the apex court allowed the appeal filed by the APC against Bashir Machina’s candidature.
It set aside the decision of the Appeal Court, Gombe Division, which affirmed the decision of the trial court that declared Machina the Senatorial Candidate for Yobe North.
But in a dissenting decision by Justices Emmanuel Agim and Adamu Jauro, the apex Court said Ahmad Lawan never participated in the APC primary held on 28 May, as he withdrew voluntarily to participate in the presidential primary held on the 8 June 2022.
According to the minority decision, the conduct of another primary on June 9, 2022 where Lawan emerged was in breach of Section 84 (5) of the Electoral Act as the APC never cancelled that held on 28 May before organizing another.
