This was alleged by Machina’s campaign organisation.
The Yobe North senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bashir Machina, has raised the alarm about an alleged plan by the loyalists of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to forge his signature on a letter, stating that he has voluntarily withdrawn from the race to pave the way for Lawan.
This was alleged by Machina’s campaign organisation.
The group claimed that some elements within the party who are ardent supporters of Lawan are planning to manipulate the candidacy of the senatorial district.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s spokesperson, Husaini Isah, the plan was described as condemnable in a democratic setting like a country like Nigeria.
The statement read, “Information available to the Bashir Machina Campaign Organisation has it that some individuals have entered an unholy alliance with some compromised leaders to forge the withdrawal letter of Yobe North APC senatorial candidate, Bashir Machina, even after communicating formally to the Party leadership affirming his stand not to step-down for anybody.
“It is sad and indeed unfortunate that after all the cries and alarm raised by the campaign organisation exposing a sinister plot to subvert the will of people of Yobe North, some mischievous elements are hell-bent and determined to carry out their criminal offence.
“It has eventually come to light in this untidy business of a forged withdrawal letter, that some compromised leaders have become slaves to corruption and criminality in Nigeria.”
Machina further reiterated his position that he would not step down and any letter of withdrawal received was not from him; rather they were forged.
The statement continued, “Facts affirming our earlier accusation that some individuals were trying to forge the withdrawal letter of Bashir Machina have emerged, and as a Campaign Organisation, we want to make it abundantly clear that any withdrawal letter carrying the signature of our candidate is a forged document and does not emanate from him.
“We wonder how a sane person could delve into this embarrassing action which is criminal in nature and has the potential of soiling the reputation of the APC as a party that stands for justice.
“We want to reiterate that Bashir Machina’s letter dated 13th June which was sent to the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, still stands and any attempt to forge his withdrawal letter would be treated as a pure criminal offence irrespective of the calibre of person(s) involved.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission affirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the winner of the Yobe North senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
Machina polled 289 votes out of 300 delegates, a certified true copy of INEC’s report from May 28, 2022, election revealed, confirming the politician’s public claim that he won the primary and legally emerged candidate.
The document was certified by the electoral office on June 23, 2022.
This came amid threats by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, who warned of severe sanctions if Machina refused to relinquish his ticket to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.