These are not the best of times for House of Representatives Majority Leader, Mr. Alhassan Doguwa. He is facing a murder charge, he has no Certificate of Return for an election he thought he won and he was announced winner, and he now has to prepare for fresh elections in many polling units from a weak position and a tag of an alleged murderer hanging on him.
A letter of confession by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation officer who presided over the election for Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, Professor Ibrahim Adamu Yakassai, that he was forced to announce results that were not a true reflection of the election further worsens Doguwa’s position.
Professor Yakasai of Bayero University in Kano State said the report he submitted to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was fake.
In a letter to Yakubu, Yakassai disclosed that his collation centre was under siege by thugs who threatened to burn down the INEC facility if he didn’t announce the result within an hour.
“The collation area was completed under siege and threatened to burn down the INEC facility if I didn’t report the result within an hour.
“I was completely traumatized, hopeless, and confused which did not give me the mental stability to work in accordance with the electoral law and electoral guidelines”
“I served as Electoral Officer for the 2023 Tudun Wada/Doguwa House of Representatives elections, the results of which I announced on February 26, 2023, were fake.” he declared
“I would like to testify that the statement I made was under duress for fear of losing my life and that other INEC officials who were with me.
“…finally, the situation my colleagues and I found ourselves in could not allow us to deal with the complaints about the non-use of BVAS in some polling stations.
“I hope that my testimony will be kindly examined and that the necessary action will be taken under Section 65 of the Elections Act 2022.”
Recall that INEC declared that there was no winner in the February 25 National Assembly Election.
The commission delisted Doguwa’s name from the representatives-elect list and therefore did not issue him a certificate of return, because he was declared winner of the election by Professor Yakassai under duress.
Last week, a Senior Magistrate Court in Kano presided over by Ibrahim Mansur Yola, ordered the remand of Doguwa, at a correctional facility over charges of culpable homicide and arson.
He has since been granted bail.
The embattled Doguwa, who is standing trial along with one Bashir Dahiru, was charged with several offences that include criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, unlawful possession of fire arm, mischief and public disturbance.
Mrs Aisha Salisu, the prosecutor, told the court that Ado-Doguwa and Dahiru committed the offences on February 26, 2023 at Tudun Wada Dankadai in Dawakin Kudi Local Government Area of Kano State.
She added that Doguwa allegedly shot one Ibrahim Dauda to death and injured two other persons on their legs and hands.
“The defendants conspired with five others still at large, conducted themselves in a manner to cause breach of public peace and burnt the office of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Tudun Wada Dankadai.
“Two persons lost their lives at the said NNPP office on the day of the incident while six persons sustained various degrees of injuries.
“The offences contravened the Penal Code and the Firearms Act. Any person accused of committing a capital offence which attracts severe punishment should not be granted bail,” she said.
The Prosecutor therefore prayed the court not to grant the defendants bail in the interest of public peace and justice.
Mr Abdul Adamu, Doguwa’s counsel, appealed to the court to grant the defendants bail.
“The first defendant is a public figure and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives”, he said
Police spokesman, SP Haruna Kiyawa, had earlier disclosed that Doguwa was arrested in connection with a suspected case of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire and inciting disturbance.
He said this followed complaints “received on the gruesome murder of three persons, causing grievous injury to eight others in Tudun Wada LGA on 26/02/2023 while the collation of election results was ongoing and an alleged viral video of some victims with suspected gunshots in the Social Media.”
He said the Commissioner of Police in charge of 2023 General Election, Kano State Command, CP Muhammad Yakubu directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Kano State Police Command to carry out a thorough investigation.
Kiyawa said Doguwa was arrested because he refused to honour an invitation extended to him by the police.
“He was subsequently arrested by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Bompai Kano at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano,” he said
