The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the name of Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the embattled leader of the House of Representatives, from the list of election winners for the Doguwa/Tudunwada constituency in Kano state.
Doguwa, who was declared winner of the February 25 election, with 39,732 votes, defeating his closest rival, Yushau Salisu Abdullahi of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), was conspicuously absent from the newly released list of members-elect.
In a statement, INEC stated that the declaration was made under duress, after a viral video showed the returning officer, Professor Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai, reading out the results with a shaky voice.
Following the election violence recorded in the constituency after the election, Doguwa was arrested by the police for his alleged role in the killings of several persons and burning of the NNPP secretariat. Doguwa has vehemently denied the allegations.
The police confirmed that at least three persons were killed while the campaign secretariat of the NNPP in Tudunwada was set ablaze with two persons burnt to death.
Doguwa was subsequently taken before a magistrate’s court on charges of murder, arson, and unlawful possession of firearms, and was remanded in prison.
However, a Federal High Court in Kano on Monday admitted the embattled lawmaker to N500 million bail, but barred him from his constituency during the forthcoming gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Doguwa, who is now embroiled in both electoral and criminal cases.