Doguwa’s Political Travails

Ibrahim Shuaibu writes on the travails of the majority leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Alhassan Ado Doguwa who’s currently being investigated by the police for alleged involvement in murder

The last Presidential and National Assembly elections across the country came with some unprecedented surprises as voters trooped out to vote for the candidate of their choice.

As expected of every election cycle in Nigeria, election day came with violence which led to death of some citizens.

The Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, is currently in the eye of the storm, following his arrest and prosecution by the police for alleged involvement in murder.

The APC lawmaker who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, was arrested after he was accused of leading thugs, who attacked and set on fire the office of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at Tudun Wada, Kano, where two people were also burnt to death on Sunday during the collation of results of the just-concluded elections.

Doguwa’s move to retain his seat was not surprising following a revelation that he was being positioned as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In 2022, Doguwa was accused of attacking the deputy governorship candidate of the APC in Kano State, Murtala Garo, with a tea up during a meeting.

However, the lawmaker denied attacking the deputy governorship candidate. But Garo had told BBC Hausa that the majority leader violently invaded a meeting at the deputy governor’s residence and made several “baseless accusations” against the gathering, including the deputy governor, Nasiru Gawuna, who is also the party’s governorship candidate.

With his no-nonsense character, his constituency, made up of two local governments of Doguwa and Tudun Wada, was clearly seen to be divided during election with most of those voting for him coming from his local government, Doguwa.

In as much as he has to do a lot to ensure that he wins elections in Doguwa he had to do even more to win in Tudun Wada. Unfortunately, the votes were ‘not coming in his favor and the possibility of winning the election was slim.

He is to be a sixth timer in the House of Representative and if elected he will inch closer to his dream of becoming the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Pressed by such ambition, he was ready to do anything to achieve such a dream.  

There are several stories told, one of which is that his own house located at Isyaku Rabiu estate along Zaria Road was burnt by political opponents two days to the last election. A situation which has turned him even more committed to his ambition at any extent.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recently confirmed that his name has been removed from the list of those to receive Certificates of Return as members-elect of the House of Representatives even as he was earlier announced as the winner.

INEC gave  reason for declaring that he did not win the election saying the announcement was made under duress. It had since announced that a supplementary election will take place in 13 poling units of the constituency.

This followed his arrest and charge to a Magistrate court in Kano where he was accused on five-count charge that include culpable homicide. He was said to have been part of alleged attack and destruction of INEC office at Tudun Wada which resulted in death of some people.

According to reports, the influential lawmaker was arrested after he was accused of leading thugs, who attacked and set on fire the office of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at Tudun Wada, Kano, where two people were also burnt to death on Sunday during the collation of results of the just-concluded elections.

Doguwa was accused of shooting two to death and injuring others during the raid on the NNPP Tudun Wada Office.

The magistrate, Ibrahim Yola, said he had no jurisdiction to entertain the charges and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody.

Following some legal technicalities, he was offered bail by a Federal High court with the sum of N500m and a first-class traditional ruler that will stand as surety for him. The embattled Doguwa is faced with even more travails as pressure is being mounted by concerned sectors of the public to ensure that he faces the wrath of the law.

Even if he is set free in the end, his dream of becoming the Speaker of the house may have been shattered by the travails he has gone through especially if he is confirmed by the court to have been involved in culpable homicide.

As he awaits trial, indigenes from Tudun Wada and Doguwa constituencies alleged that the House of Representatives and the Kano state government are collaborating to get the embattled majority leader, Ado Doguwa, freed.

The concerned group members led by former Commissioner Budget and Planning, Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that justice takes it course to avoid reciprocal violence.