Machina Vs Ahmed Lawan: Machina Decries Ploy To Fake Withdrawal Letter

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District in the forthcoming general elections, Bashir Machina, has condemned alleged attempt to send a forged withdrawal letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Bashir Machina made this allegation in a statement issued by the spokesman of his campaign organization, Husaini Mohammed Isah, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Machina has been under pressure to relinquish the senatorial ticket he won during the primary election to Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President.

There had been attempt by the leadership of APC on Machina to relinquish his ticket to Lawan who contested the presidential primary of the APC and lost.

It was titled: “Attempt to forge Machina’s withdrawal letter appalling, Criminal — Campaign Organisation” and reads in part:

“Information available to 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 Sheriff Machina even after communicating formally to the Party leadership affirming his stand not to step-down for anybody, ‘’the statement said.

“It is sad and indeed unfortunate that after all the cries and alarm raised by the Campaign Organisation exposing sinister plot to subvert the will of people of Yobe North, some mischievous elements are hell-bent and determined to carryout their criminal offence.

“It has eventually come to light in this untidy business of forged withdrawal letter, that some compromised leaders have become slave to corruption and criminality in Nigeria.

“Facts affirming our earlier accusation that some individuals were trying to forge the withdrawal letter of Bashir Machina have emerged, and as 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 offense irrespective of the calibre of person (s) involved.”