Senate President Ahmed Lawan, has lost his bid to return to the Red Chamber; as a Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Bashir Machina as the candidate for Yobe North senatorial district.
Justice Fadima Murtala Aminu ordered the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary, which was held on Wednesday.
The judge described the primary election where Lawan emerged candidate as “phantom.”
Lawan had pursued a presidential bid and was one of the aspirants who battled eventual winner Tinubu, Vice President Osinbajo and ex-Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, for the APC’s presidential ticket.
After his bid to be APC presidential flag-bearer fell apart in controversial circumstances (at some point Lawan was touted as President Buhari’s anointed candidate), the 63-year-old ran back to his constituency in a last ditch attempt to return to the Senate.
However, Machina, who was at the time believed to be a stooge or placeholder for Lawan, refused to hand over the ticket and marched to courtrooms to keep Lawan at bay.