Senate President, Ahmed Lawan seems to have secured a return ticket to the Red Chamber after all.
In a Senate Primary Election Report that the All-Progressives Congress (APC) sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the deadline for submission of candidates contesting in the 2023 election, the name of Ahmed Lawan was listed as the Senator representing Yobe North Senatorial District.
The other names on the list are Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam representing Yobe East Senatorial District and Senator Mohammed Bomai representing Yobe South Senatorial District.
It would be recalled that Lawan has been in limbo following his failed Presidential bid. Shortly after losing the presidential ticket to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it appeared that Lawan was set to miss out on a return to the Senate as the Yobe North All-Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries winner, Bashir Machina refused to step down for him
Since the winner of the senatorial primaries refused to step down, the Senate President started mounting pressure on the presidency to get back his senatorial ticket.
All efforts by Mr Lawan’s cronies to convince Mr Machina to step down for the president of the Senate failed as the senatorial candidate insisted that he won’t withdraw.
According to sources, Mr Lawan was secretly given the INEC form by the APC headquarters to fill for submission, although he didn’t submit himself for party screening and didn’t participate in the senatorial primary election which took place in Gashua town on May 28.
In the primaries, Mr Machina, who was the sole candidate, got 289 votes.
According to sources, Mr Lawan, in concert with the APC National Vice Chairman, North East, Mustapha Salihu, is trying to ‘forcefully take over’ the ticket from Mr Machina.
When contacted on the allegations, the APC National Vice Chairman, North East said he never interfered in the local party decisions in Yobe.
“I don’t interfere with local party arrangement in states. Yobe has its own unique way of primaries, which is a general consensus.
“All aspirants who obtained the party’s nomination forms nationwide have filled the withdrawal forms, which is a clear consent to withdraw in case of any superior interest, and with the consent of the party stakeholders in the state.
“I’m aware that it is a national party policy for aspirants who lost the presidential ticket to return to their seats in the Senate. You can see Godswill Akpabio has already reclaimed his senatorial ticket,” Mr Salihu added.
Machina has also been talking tough while refuting allegations that he is holding the ticket for the Senate President.
