Winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Yobe North, Bashir Machina, has raised the alarm over the alleged attempt to forge a letter claiming he has withdrawn from the race.
Machina has been involved in a running battle with Senate President Ahmad Lawan for the ruling party’s ticket in Yobe North.
Machina had been declared winner of the APC Senatorial primaries conducted on May 28, 2022, in Gashua.
He had polled 289 out of the 300 votes cast by the delegates who partook in the election.
But the APC leadership under Abdullahi Adamu had submitted the name of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as candidate of the senatorial district for the election.
Lawan, who contested but lost the party’s presidential primary, did not participate in the senatorial exercise.
As a result of the back and forth over the issue, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had refused to list any candidate for Yobe North.
In a statement Husaini Isah, spokesman of Machina Campaign Organisation, issued on his behalf, on Tuesday, the politician said Nigerians should be at alert.
He said some desperate persons wanted to create the impression that he was no longer interested in the race.
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.
“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 did 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.” (Daily Trust)
