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

The Electoral Umpire’s position was contained in a legally admissible Certified True Copy (CTC) of its report for the June 23, 2022 primary election.

The name of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was not mentioned in the report.

The APC leadership had submitted Lawan’s name as the party’s candidate for the election.

Mr Machina rushed to the INEC office in Yobe State to obtain a certified true copy of the primary election, as the commission monitored the primary

In a copy of the document, Mr Machina scored 289 out of the 300 votes cast by the delegates.

The INEC National Commissioner on Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, had cleared the air on the controversies surrounding the Yobe North Senatorial primary.

Speaking on a television programme, Mr Okoye advised aggrieved aspirants to obtain a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the election result from the commission.   

Pressure to relinquish ticket

Mr Machina has claimed that Senator Lawan, who ran in the APC presidential primary, did not participate in the senatorial primary.

Although Mr. Machina acknowledged that he was under pressure, he insisted that he would not give Senator Lawan the ticket.

Abdullahi Lamino/Tony Okerafor