I won’t step down for Senate President, Lawan, Yobe senatorial candidate writes APC

A candidate of the All Progressives Congress and winner of Yobe North Senatorial District, Bashir Sheriff Machina, on Monday night vowed not to step down for Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

The development is coming five days after Lawan lost the APC presidential ticket to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the party convention in Eagles Square.

Lawan, who had since returned to his base to secure the party’s senatorial ticket for the Yobe North constituency, met strong resistance from Machina.

Lawan had earlier replaced himself with Machina, who he entrusted with the task to carry on with the campaign to secure the APC ticket for the Yobe North Senatorial seat.

The tension reached a climax last Friday when supporters of Machina organised a solidarity protest where they swore that the candidate won’t step down for Lawan, who has repeatedly represented the constituency since 2007.

A defiant Machina has taken a step further to also write the leadership of the party on Monday, saying he is unwilling to give the mandate as he would rather prefer to slug it out with candidates of other political parties ahead of the February 25 elections.

He wrote, “I write to reaffirm my continual aspiration as the All Progressives Congress unequivocal senatorial candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District, following my clearance and participation at the party primaries, where I put 289 votes out of the 300 total votes cast.

“I write to reaffirm that I remain committed to the mandate which I won at the primaries and I have not in form or manner communicated otherwise. I have been informed of a purported malicious and mischievous report and insinuation to the contrary.

“Please note that I never at any time signed or communicated in any form any intent to vacate the mandate, which was won at the primaries. I am totally committed to my mandate and I am working towards delivering Yobe North Senatorial District to our great party, the All Progressives Congress.”