In a bid to get favourable judgement for the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has contradicted itself by discrediting the May 28 APC senatorial primary election of Yobe North that produced Bashir Machina as the senatorial candidate of the party.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the INEC had repeatedly denied the alleged plans to manipulate the outcome of the May 28 APC senatorial primary election of Yobe North in favour of the Senate President.
Recall that on August 9, the INEC released a statement, maintaining its position that Mr Lawan did not emerge from a valid primary election of his party and, therefore, would not accept his name except by a court order.
But investigations by our reporter revealed that the Commission, in a counter affidavit filed by its lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, discredited Mr Machina’s election.
In the counter affidavit, the electoral umpire said the primary election was conducted by Yobe State officers of the APC and not National committee of the party as required by the law.
This position however contradicts the INEC’s Certified True Copy of the result released to Mr Machina’s counsel, Ibrahim Bawa, SAN.
On page one of the CTC, the Commission admitted that one Danjuma Isa Munga who is also one of the five members of the Yobe State APC senatorial primary election committee set up by the National Headquarters of the party conducted the election of Yobe North.
However, the INEC document in the counter affidavit sighted by our reporter and signed by one Mohammed Ayuba, Assistant Executive Officer in the Litigation and Prosecution Department of INEC who claimed to be part of the Committee set up to investigate Mr Machina’s complaint, described the election as not validly conducted.
