The Supreme Court of Nigeria recently ruled in favor of Senate President Ahmed Lawan in his legal battle against Mr. Bashir Machina over the ticket for the Senatorial Candidate of Yobe North.
The court found that Bashir Machina’s approach of bringing the suit to the Federal High Court in Damaturu was faulty, as he failed to provide oral evidence to prove allegations of fraud. The decision of the Appeal Court in Gombe, which had previously declared Machina the Senatorial Candidate, was set aside by the Supreme Court.
However, two Justices, Emmanuel Agim and Adamu Jauro, dissented from the majority decision. They argued that Ahmad Lawan never participated in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary held on May 28, as he had withdrawn to participate in the presidential primary held on June 8, 2022.
The minority decision held that the conduct of another primary on June 9, 2022, where Lawan emerged as the candidate, was in breach of Section 84 (5) of the Electoral Act. The APC never cancelled the primary held on May 28 before organizing another.
The APC had challenged the nomination of Bashir Machina as the party’s candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District, insisting that Ahmad Lawan was the authentic Senatorial candidate for the upcoming general election.
At the final hearing of the appeal, the counsel for the APC, Sepiribo Peters, argued that the primary election held on May 28, 2022, which produced Machina, was in breach of the Electoral Act 2022.
The outcome of this legal battle is significant, as it not only determines the Senatorial Candidate for Yobe North, but also demonstrates the strength of the judicial system in Nigeria.
The Supreme Court’s decision confirms the authenticity of Ahmad Lawan as the Senatorial Candidate and upholds the rights of the APC in determining its own candidates for elections. This ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of following the proper legal procedures and providing evidence to support allegations in the court of law.
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