BY IKECHUKWU AGADA
Extensive and intensive Investigations reveal that the decision of Machina not to step down for Lawan is propelled by some behind-the-scene political forces who are up against Lawan and have vowed to teach him some bitter political lessons.
It was revealed that aside some political enemies in Yobe State who wants to end the political career of the Senate President, Mr Ahmed Lawan, two influential political forces are behind the continuing legal and political battle against him. They are the financial and political pillars behind Machina-Must -Succeed Battle.
A Yobe North senatorial candidate, Bashir Sheriff Machina’s refusal to relinquish his ticket to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, may have been influenced by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni; according to mutiple sources.
9news Nigeria gathered that Tinubu and Buni allegedly instructed Machina not to step down from the contest to teach Lawan a bitter lesson.
It was learned that Lawan was deceived by Aso Rock Cabal to contest the APC ticket, assuring him that President Muhammadu Buhari was going to retain power in the north.
A source privy to the circumstances that led to Lawan’s declaration to contest for the APC Presidential ticket without making proper arrangements to secure a re-election ticket to retain his seat in the Senate, said Lawan was cocksure of succeeding Buhari.
The source said, “Ahmad Lawan was misled by those around the President (Buhari); they assured him that the President was not disposed to letting power out of the north and that he (Lawan) was the preferred candidate. “Therefore, he failed to make plans like the Bauchi Governor and others who reclaimed their tickets after losing contests at the Presidential primaries.
“Seeing his aspiration had acutely traumatised Tinubu, it’s now a payback time, because it was learnt that Tinubu and Governor Buni have vowed to stand with Machina,” the source added.
9news Nigeria had earlier reported that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Tinubu, shortly after emerging as the Presidential candidate of the party, lambasted Lawan, saying he (Tinubu) was surprised that Lawan could compete with him.
Tinubu when called to give his remarks at the concluding national convention of the party at the Eagle Square, Abuja, said the Senate President “could now lick his wounds.”
A source who spoke to our correspondent said Machina, who is currently in hiding, would remain incommunicado until after the expiration of the time for submission of names of candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), later today.
9news Nigeria had earlier reported that Machina raised the alarm that his life was in danger because he refused to step down for Lawan. This was disclosed by his campaign organisation in a statement obtained by this online medium.
Efforts to hear from Machina were not successful as his mobile phone was switched off as at the time of filing this report.
9news Nigeria
