The Yobe North Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bashir Machina has raised an alarm over alleged plans to forge his signature on a letter claiming has voluntary withdrawal from the race.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had published Machina’s name as the winner of the party primary in Yobe North, despite the claim by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, that the Senate President Ahmad Lawan is the candidate of the party.
But a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Machina Campaign Organisation, Husaini Isah, said the plan is orchestrated by some mischievous elements who are hell bent on carrying out the criminal offence.
Mr Isah described such an attempt as unfortunate.
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, Hon 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.”
Mr Isah further reiterated that Mr Machina would not step down and any letter of withdrawal received was not from him.
He said: “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.”
