More Trouble for Lawan as Aspirant Who Refused to Step Down for Him Makes New Revelations
- Senate president Ahmed Lawan's hopes of returning to the National Assembly have suffered a major setback as Sheriff Machina said he has no right to the ticket
- Machina, who won the APC Yobe North senatorial district ticket, said he will not step down, noting that he did not sign the withdrawal form attached to nomination forms
- Machina maintained that if Lawan was serious with his legislative role, he would not contest the APC presidential ticket where he lost
The winner of Yobe North senatorial district primaries, Sheriff Machina, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said he may be the next senate president.
Daily Trust reports that Machina in an interview with Leadership, disclosed that some persons have approached him to step down for the senate president, Ahmed Lawan, but he would not.
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Lawan had contested for the party’s presidential ticket but lost to Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the party.
Lawan had been in the national assembly, representing Yobe North senatorial district for 15 years.
Machina said Lawan had no right to the ticket, adding that he is going to the national assembly to improve upon his performance.
“We were lucky that our senator became the Senate President. By becoming the Senate President there’s nothing… Any Senator can be the Senate President. I may likely be the next Senate President. Who knows? I was in the National Assembly long before Ahmad,” said Machina
Machina, who was first elected as Senator in 1990, said he is still in the race and not willing to give up his ticket.
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“Surely, I am not going back. I wrote a letter to the party to say I am staying in the race. There is nowhere in the party guidelines that says the ticket should at any time be given to someone that didn’t participate in the primary,” He said.
I know I will not withdraw for anyone, so I didn’t fill the withdrawal form - Machina
Machina added that he was aware of the Form 15 attached to the nomination form but he did not fill the form because he felt he will not withdraw for anyone.
“The voluntary withdrawal form was attached to the nomination form which was about 16 pages. Form 15 is a withdrawal form, so I simply left it. I didn’t fill it because I felt I was not going to withdraw from the contest. And there is no place in the form that says he must fill all the forms.”
The aspirant argued that if Lawan was serious with his legislative role, he would not have gone for the presidential ticket.
He reiterated that he cannot be forced to relinquish his ticket because this is a democracy.
He disclosed that although Lawan had not approached him personally but some persons have been mounting pressure on him.
The former senator denied the report that he is being sponsored by Yobe state governor, Mai Mala Buni, saying he was elected judiciously.
Machina who was a sole candidate in the election said officials from national secretariat, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives were present at the primaries.
2023: Again Lawan’s Return to Senate in Jeopardy As Machina Writes Adamu
Legit.ng reports that all indications at the moment have confirmed that Senator Ahmed Lawan who is the incumbent Senate President will not be returning to the red chamber next year.
His 23 consecutive year journey in the national assembly has abruptly come to an end after forfeiting a chance to return for his presidential ambition.
Meanwhile, Bashir Machina, the man who holds the APC senatorial ticket for Yobe North has reiterated that he intends to hold on to his mandate.
Source: Legit.ng
