The All Progressives Congress’s candidature for senator in Yobe North, Ahmad Lawan, has been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The apex court accepted the challenge made by the APC against Bashir Machina’s candidature in a majority decision rendered on Monday.
The APC Yobe North Senatorial ticket has generated controversy.
In a primary election held by the party in May 2022, Machina won with no opposition. The senate president abstained from voting in the primaries.
Lawan was running for president at the time of the election but fell short against Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State.
The ruling APC submitted the name of the senate president to the commission rather than the name of the elected candidate; this action caused their names to be purposefully omitted from the published details of candidates in late June 2022.
In order to put an end to the escalating issue surrounding the position, INEC stated at least twice that it had rejected the senate president’s name because he had not been duly nominated for the senatorial position.
The commission, however, urged the duo to resolve their issues internally or seek redress in court.
