Yobe North Senate: INEC reaffirms APC primary report favouring Machina

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has re-affirmed its stand on the report of the monitoring team for APC Yobe North primary election which produced Bashir Machina against claims by Senate President Ahmed Lawan favoured by the party.

INEC stated this in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye in Abuja on Thursday.

This statement is coming after an INEC lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), had contradicted the commission’s position by discrediting the May 28 primaries that produced Mr Machina.

Mr Ikpeazu, in the counter affidavit, revealed that the May 28 primary election was conducted by Yobe State officers of the APC, and not the national committee of the party as required by the law.

However, this position had clearly contradicted the INEC’s Certified True Copy of the result released to Mr Machina’s counsel, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN).

“The attention of INEC has been drawn to a counter affidavit filed in the Federal High Court, Damaturu Judicial Division relating to the primary election,” the statement said.

“Notwithstanding the matter in court and without prejudice to the consideration or likely outcome of the case in court, the commission reiterates its earlier position that it stands by the report of its monitoring team.

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“It was on the basis of that report that the commission did not publish the name and personal particulars of any candidate for the Yobe North Senatorial District,” he said.

Okoye said that INEC would review its quality assurance protocols, as well as ensure the preview by appropriate ranking officials of all processes filed on its behalf.

This according to Okoye was to ascertain their correctness in all material particulars with all reports and all information at its disposal before their presentation so that the situation would not be repeated. (NAN)