An appeal court sitting in Abuja has affirmed Bashir Machina as the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 general elections.
A Federal High Court, sitting in Damaturu, had earlier declared that Senate President Ahmad Lawan did not participate in the legally recognized primary election of the APC held on 28th May 2022.
Delivering its judgement on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, upheld the ruling of the lower court, saying that the primary election conducted by the party on June 9 is invalid and was in breach of the constitution.
The court also ordered the appellant, APC, to pay the sum of N1million to the 1st respondent, Bashir Sheriff, as cost.
In October, the Yobe State APC chairman, Mohammed Gadaka, had rejected the decision of the Senate President not to appeal the High Court judgment.
But the appeal court dismissed the appeal in its entirety for lack of merit.
