By Wednesday September 28th, the people of Yobe North would have known if they have an option of returning incumbent Senate President, Ahmed Lawan to the red chambers or not, as a Federal High court in Damaturu is set to deliver judgement in the case between Bashir Machina and Ahmed Lawan.
WHAT WE KNOW
A Federal High court in the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, will on Wednesday September 28th give judgement to determine who will be on the ballot between incumbent Senate President and his rival Bachir Machina.
Lawan who is the senator representing Yobe North and Bachir Machina are both of the All Progressive Congress (APC), but are currently fighting over the ticket of the party for the 2023 general election.
28th September is the official day to commence campaign for the 2023 general election, yet the rightful candidate for the Yobe North senatorial constituency for the ruling APC.
NOTABLE QUOTES
The spokesman to Bachir Machina, Hussaini Mohammed Isa, confirmed the date to newsmen. He said, “yes 28th of September 2022 is the day of judgement”.
BACKGROUND
After the failed presidential bid of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan (having lost at the APC Presidential primary election last June), he sought to retain the party’s ticket for Yobe North senatorial district.
However, Bashir Machina who won the party’s primary refused to step down for him, leaving the Senate President at the mercy of the party which attempted substituting Machina for Ahmed Lawan.
Not willing to let go of his priced ticket, Machina approached the Federal High Court in Damaturu seeking an order of the court to compel INEC to publish his name as the winner of the 28 May All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election for Yobe North.
Machina also asked the court to compel his party, the APC, to submit his name to the Independent Electoral commission (INEC) as the winner of the primary and rightful candidate of the party.
COMMENTARY
Certainly, Wednesday will mark the beginning of another round of crisis for the APC, at least within Yobe North senatorial district.
This is so because by the character of Nigeria politicians the looser may likely go on appeal, vow to have nothing to do with the APC campaign in the senatorial district or possibly move to an opposition party just to rock the boat.
However, like we noted in an earlier report, 2023 elections will, to a great extent determine the political character of politicians in future elections. Subsequently, it will become clear to the so-called police bigwigs that they cannot take it for granted that tickets are for keeps.
