Lawan Contested Yobe Senatorial Primary – APC National Chairman Adamu Declares

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJune 21, 2022

2 minutes read

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has clarified the position of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan over the Yobe Senatorial seat.

The National Chairman of the party revealed on Monday that Lawan participated in Yobe North Senatorial Primary.

Abdullahi spoke when he led party members to present the Ekiti State governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, to President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock.

He said he could not be responding to all speculations around issues concerning the party.

Lawan was one of the 23 APC presidential aspirants who contested on June 8.

Bashir Machina had claimed to be the authentic senatorial candidate for the Senatorial district.

But speaking to State House correspondents on the sidelines at the Presidential Villa after presenting the Ekiti State governor-elect to President Muhammadu Buhari, the following conversation ensued between Adamu and State House correspondents:

Reporter: Nigerians are wondering why the Senate president didn’t take part in the primary, but there was a report that his name was sent to INEC by the party?

Adamu: Don’t get yourself into the court of law. Is it that you were told or they are saying it?

Reporter: But you are leading the party?

Adamu: I don’t have time for negativities, I don’t just have time for that. If you face me with positives, I have time for all of that. I will stand here and answer all of your questions.

Reporter: But is it true?

Adamu: I cannot respond to every speculation particularly when they are negative. Especially, when they are mischief-makers.

Reporter: Do you know why I am asking you this question? We saw him participate in the presidential primaries and lost, and all of a sudden, a senatorial primary election was held in his absence?

Adamu: Is there any law that says when you contest an election and lose, you shouldn’t contest another one?

Reporter: But did he contest in the senatorial primary election?

Adamu: Go and find out from the person who is responsible for organising the primary. I have done my beat. I think that in my honour that he did participate within the timeline.

Newsflash Nigeria reported during the Senatorial primary election, Bashir Machina was unopposed and declared the APC candidate at the Yobe North senatorial primary election.

However, in a turn of events, Machina’s name was replaced by Lawan’s on the list of Yobe senatorial candidates sent from the APC to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Lawan contested in the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside vice president Yemi Osinbajo, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, who won the election.

The Senate president was the anointed ‘consensus’ presidential candidate of APC national chairman Abdullahi Adamu and did not purchase a nomination form to contest in the 2023 election to represent Yobe North Senatorial District.

Some political observers speculated that Machina was holding the senatorial ticket in trust for Lawan as an alternative plan if he loses out in his ambition to be APC presidential candidate.

Machina was the only aspirant to purchase the APC nomination form to contest a seat for Yobe North Senatorial District and was elected the party’s candidate unopposed.

Since the conclusion of the presidential primary election, the APC senatorial candidate disclosed that he is being persuaded to withdraw from the race to allow Lawan to contest the election.

Lawan was in the National Assembly since 1999; first as a member of the House of Representatives and later, a Senator representing Yobe North Senatorial District since 2007.