Senator Ahmad Lawan, Yobe North Senatorial District finally accepted defeat in the hand of his party member on his own over bloated ambition. He may likely loss the seat he had occupied as the longest serving senator since 2007.
The Senate President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ahmad Lawan on Thursday finally accepted his defeat after his scheming to come back to the Senate next year hit the rock following the verdict of a Federal High Court Damaturu that disqualified him from next year general election.
Lawan said that he would
not appeal the judgement delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court, Damaturu, in Yobe State with respect to the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial
District elections.
The Senate President had in June contested his party All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential primary. He lost as he step down for the presidential candidate of the party, Ahmed Tinubu. Since then he had made stringent efforts to unseat Bashir Sheriff Machina who won the APC’s Yobe North Senatorial District primary election.
Amidst fear, Bashir had initially went into hiding afraid of his life, after his name was removed from the list of candidates compiled by the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC. His name and substituted with Senator Ahmad Lawan. The aggrieved candidate therefore approached the Federal High Court and insisted that he did not resigned from the contest as claimed by Lawan.
While the controversy generated over the issue ranged amidst civil society groups outcry over the electoral body manipulation of the Electoral Act 2022, in favour of Lawan, the commission reversed itself and decided to leave APC Yobe North Senatorial District space blank following pressures from high places.
Undaunted, Justice Fadima Aminu speaks truth to the authorities as the judge interpreted the laws without fear or favour . But has the Senate President wholeheartedly accepted the verdict?
Lawan said in a statement which he personally signed and released on Thursday that he has accepted the judgement of the court which disqualified his candidature and
participation in the elections.
The statement titled: “Court
Judgement on Yobe North Senatorial District Candidacy” reads:
“Yesterday, Wednesday, 28th September, 2022, the Federal High Court in Damaturu delivered judgement on the rightful candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 National Assembly elections.
“The said judgement disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.
“After due consultations with
my political associates, supporters
and well-wishers, I have decided
not to appeal against the judgement. I accept the judgement.
“At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe State. I also thank His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala
Buni for the support and brotherhood.
“To my constituents, I thank you
all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe State.
“I want to assure you that I will continue to serve you in my personal and any other capacity at all times.
“We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.”
However, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, warned that Machina risked severe sanctions if he refused to relinquish his ticket to Lawan.
Adamu claimed that the party was supreme and that it reserved the right to decide who got it’s ticket in any election.
Observers noted on Friday that Lawan admonition may be a rhetoric just to placard electorates in his constituent, most of whom had supported him since 2007. That he may have left the fight in court for his party to execute.
Therefore,it remain to be seen, whether APC’s NWC under the chairmanship of Senator Abdullahi Adamu would forward the name of Machina the person who won the party Yobe North Senatorial District primary to the electoral body as directed by the Court.