Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s bid to return to the red chamber has been dashed with the verdict of a federal high court sitting in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
The top lawmaker who contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) but lost to Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor, has been barred from parading himself as the Yobe North senatorial candidate for the 2023 general election.
Bashir Machina, an aspirant who won the senatorial primary of the ruling party has been at loggerheads with Mr Lawan whom he accused of attempting to hijack the mandate given to him by the people.
Mr Machina turned down several pleas to cede the position to the Senate President despite his party submitting the name of Mr Lawan as its candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Neither the name of the aspirant nor his rival was published by the electoral commission when the final list of candidates for various positions were published last week.
In a judgement delivered by the presiding judge, Justice Fadima Murtala Aminu, on Wednesday, the court ordered INEC to recognize Mr Machina as the flag-bearer of the ruling party.
Except the decision of the court is overturned by that of a higher court, Mr Lawan will not be returning to the red chamber next year.
