APC insist on Lawan, Akpabio for Senatorial candidates as Machina threatens legal action

Inspite of protests, the All Progressives Congress has forwarded the list of its senatorial candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission featuring the names of some chieftains said to be ineligible.

Among such names sent were that of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and a former Presidential Aspirant, Godswill Akpabio.

Lawan, who is currently representing Yobe North in the Senate, had contested for the presidency at the recently concluded APC Special Convention and Presidential Primary.

But while he Senate President focused on his aspiration for the presidential ticket of the APC, Bashir Machina took the advantage to contest Lawan’s seat in the Senatorial Primary Election in the area and luckily won.

Since Lawan’s defeat at the APC presidential primary election, pressure had been mounted on Machina to step down and allow the Senate President to re-contest his seat.

Machina had even raised the alarm, alleging threat to his life. He later went into hiding.

But on Friday, Machina suddenly resurfaced, insisting that he won’t withdraw from the race to enable Lawan another chance at the Senate.

In Akwa Ibom, a former Deputy Inspector General DIG of Police, Udom Ekpoudom (rtd) had won the ticket for the Akwa Ibom North Senatorial Primary Election while Akpabio went to seek the presidential ticket of the APC.

Akpabio, who eventually stepped down for Tinubu at the APC presidential primary, returned home to participate in a fresh senatorial primary election declared illegal by INEC.

But the leadership of the ruling APC leadership eventually included the names of both Lawan and Akpabio among those of other candidates forwarded to INEC.

But Machina, on Friday, appealed to the APC leadership to correct the omission of his name and hinted of a possible legal action.

He, however, vowed never to step down for Lawan.

According to him, “In the list sent to INEC, my name was found to be misrepresented. I don’t know whether it was erroneous, my name was not in the list of the names that was said to be presented today to INEC. For the avoidance of doubt, I remain the candidate duly elected of the APC Yobe North zone C senatorial zone.

“I am the elected candidate; I did not withdraw for anybody and will not withdraw because as a matter of right that is the mandate given to me by members of our great party, the delegates. So surreptitiously removing my name, I consider, is very undemocratic, illegal and of course inhuman.

“In sha Allah, I will take measures, first by reminding and appealing to my party that if this action is truly done, it should be corrected, especially if it is erroneously done. We are actually seeking for redress from the National Working Committee of our party under the able leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the national chairman, that there is an anomaly and we need it to be corrected.

“I remain the candidate and it remains so. I hope our leadership will take the necessary measures. We will work hard to exploit and explore all the necessary channels as provided by our guideline. In the event of the contrary, as Nigerian citizens and as law abiding citizens, the constitution of our country being the overall law above every aspect of our lives as Nigerians, I would have no choice but to resort to court (legal) action.

“This is what I attend to inform Nigerians through this medium, that an abnormality and illegality is about taking place, and it is undemocratic. This is a democratic party. It is always the will of the people that is supreme and the greatest justification of the will of the people is by casting their votes, as they did to elect me. This is a confidence reposed on me by the electorate in my senatorial district and this is the most minimal challenge I will face to defend their right.”