The senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe North, Hon. Bashir Machina has gone into hiding to safe himself from possible body harm.
Machina, was elected as the candidate of the party after the incumbent, Senate President Ahmad Lawan decided to contest the presidential ticket of the party instead of seeking to re-contest his senate seat.
Lawan was subsequently defeated by Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and is believed to be interested in dragging the ticket back from Machina, who has been adamant, insisting that he would not entertain anything of such.
Informed political sources revealed that pressures has continued to mount on Machina to give the ticket to Lawan who has been at the National Assembly since the resumption of the present democracy in 1999.
The argument from within and outside Yobe State is that Lawan stands a chance of being returned as the Senate President in 2023 and getting better bargain for the people of the Northeast state.
Sources revealed that as the pressure continues to mount, Machina for fear that his stand not to relinquish the ticket may assume dangerous dimension has gone into hiding.
Confirming this, is a statement issued on Thursday by the candidate’s campaign organisation.
The statement signed by Hussaini Isah, the Spokesman, Bashir Sheriff Machina (BSM) Campaign Organisation read: “Information at the disposal of Bashir Machina Campaign Organisation is that there is security threat to the senatorial candidate of APC for Yobe North, Hon. Bashir Sheriff Machina especially in relation to his refusal to relinquish his legally acquired ticket.
“Credible sources confirmed that some people want him arrested or at worst eliminated. They have resorted to employing diabolical means over unlawful means, in pressurising him to step down.
“We use this opportunity to notify the security agencies of this threat or likely breach of security around our senatorial candidate, we believe the security agencies will rise up to the occasion and take the threat seriously.”
The statement added that: “As Campaign Organisation, we warned that the people behind his ordeal in the last four days should be held responsible if any mishap happens to him. By this notice, we are putting everybody on red alert.”
