INEC deletes Doguwa’s name as Rep member-elect, says declaration made under duress

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deleted the name of the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, from the list of elected House of Representatives members.

A check by The Guardian on the list of members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday revealed that the commission removed Doguwa’s name on the reason that his election result was declared under duress.

It will be recalled that INEC had earlier announced Doguwa, a member of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the February 25 election in the Doguwa/Tudunwada constituency.

He polled 39,732 votes to defeat the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Yushau Salisu Abdullahi, who polled 34,798 votes.

Doguwa has also been in the news for the wrong reason since he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the killing of several persons and burning of the Secretariat of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the just concluded general election.

Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022, provided that the “Commission shall have the power within seven days to review the declaration and return where the Commission determines that the said declaration and return was not made voluntarily or was made contrary to the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines, and manual for the election”.

The section also provided that “this is without prejudice to the jurisdiction of a court of competent jurisdiction or election tribunal to review the decision of the returning officer.”

The development means that Doguwa won’t be given a Certificate-of-Return (CoR) when members-elect of the house of representatives converge in Abuja on Wednesday to receive their certificates from INEC.