Why INEC delisted APC’s Doguwa after initially announcing him winner
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has delisted the embattled Majority Leader of the House of Representatives Alhassan Ado Doguwa after initially announcing him as the winner of the Doguwa/Tudunwada federal constituency seat, Kano state.
TheCornet learned that Doguwa’s delistment is connected to allegation that the returning officer was put under duress to declare the fiery politician as the winner of the race.
Doguwa, who got a N500m bail on Monday in his ongoing trial for arson and murder, was initially declared to have scored 39,732 votes, against Yushau Salisu Abdullahi of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), who polled 34,798 votes.
The contest between Doguwa and Abdullahi was marred by violence, as thugs burned down NNPP secretariat and killed three of the party’s supporters.
Doguwa was later arrested at the Kano airport. He denied police allegations of illegal possession of a firearm. He claimed he neither owned a gun nor knew how to handle one.
The decision by INEC to review Doguwa’s earlier announced victory might have stemmed from the returning officer’s confession that he declared the vote return under compulsion.
