The Court of Appeal Abuja Division, Monday, affirmed Bashir Machina as the authentic All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Yobe North.

The verdict was delivered by a 3-man panel presided over by President, Court of  Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.

In the appeal, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, challenged the decision of Justice Fadimatu Aminu of the Federal High Court Damaturu, which had on September 28, 2022, declared Machina as winner of the primary election organised by the APC in May 2022, while Lawan opted to contest the presidential primary election organised by the APC in June.

Lawan lost the APC presidential ticket to former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.

However, Machina was asked to step down for Lawan but he insisted that he would not withdraw for the Senate President.

In the face of the controversy, the APC submitted the Senate President’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission as its senatorial candidate for Yobe North.

Dissatisfied by the development, Machina headed to court to seek redress.

Specifically, Machina in his suit, asked the court to declare him as the validly elected senatorial candidate of the APC for the 2023 election.

Justice Aminu had nullified the parallel primary election that produced Lawan on June 9, 2022.

Consequently, the trial judge ordered the APC to forward the name of Machina to INEC as the authentic winner of the primary held in May.