Withdrawal: Machina raises the alarm over APC’s alleged forgery attempt

The Yobe North senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bashir Machina, has raised the alarm about an alleged plan to forge his signature on a letter, stating that he has voluntarily withdrawn from the race to pave the way for Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

According to Machina’s campaign organisation, some elements within the party who are slaves to corruption and criminality are hell-bent on manipulating the candidacy of the senatorial district.

A statement signed by the organisation’s spokesperson, Husaini Isah, said such an act was 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.”

Machina further reiterated his position that he will not step down and any letter of withdrawal received was not from him rather they were forged.

The statement added, “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.”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that Machina has been embattled over the senatorial ticket of the Yobe North district as some powers within the APC have been dragging the seat with him.

Machina on different occasions raised the alarm over threats to his position and life.

Last week, some documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission obtained by The PUNCH showed that he was the winner of the senatorial ticket.

The APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, earlier said that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who contested the presidential primary, participated in the Yobe North senatorial election and purportedly emerged the winner.

Adamu then submitted Lawan’s name as the candidate of the APC for the Yobe North senatorial election slated for February 2023, to INEC.

Machina, however, has gone to court to take necessary legal steps to stop INEC from publishing the name of Lawan as the candidate of the APC.