The Independent National Electioral Commission (INEC) has withdrawn the name of the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, off the list of election winners; claiming that the declaration of his victory was made under duress.
The electoral body declared Doguwa the winner of the Doguwa/Tudunwada constituency election on February 25.
Professor Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai, the returning officer, declared that Doguwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had received 39,732 votes, defeating Yushau Salisu Abdullahi of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who had received 34,798 votes.
Doguwa’s name was absent from the list of members-elect that had just been made public, and INEC claimed that the declaration had been made under duress during the comment session.
The Don from Bayero University, Kano, could be seen reading out the results with a trembling voice in a viral video in which the returning officer announced the results.
Following election-related violence in the district after the vote, Doguwa was detained by police for his alleged involvement in the killing of several people and the burning of the NNPP secretariat. The lawmaker has since denied the allegations.
The NNPP campaign secretariat in Tudunwada was set on fire: killing two people. The police reported that at least three people were slain.
After being brought before a magistrate’s court on allegations of murder, arson, and illegal possession of firearms, Doguwa was imprisoned on remand.
But on Monday, a Federal High Court in Kano granted the troubled legislator N500 million in bail while prohibiting him from running for office or serving in the state parliament in the upcoming elections.
