The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the names two newly elected members of House of Representatives from the list of the election winners of February 25.
The victims are the embattled leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa of Doguwa/Tudunwada constituency and Gboyega Adefarati, son of the late Adebayo Adefarati, former Ondo governor, was elected to represent Akoko south-east and south-west federal constituency.
Both were declared by the electoral body as the election winners to represent their constituents in the 10th National Assembly under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the returning officer, Professor Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai, Doguwa of the APC polled 39,732 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yushau Salisu Abdullahi of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) who polled 34,798 votes.
However, INEC has now posted a list on their verified Twitter page, stating that the declaration made by the returning officer was done under duress. As a result, Doguwa’s name was removed from the list of election winners.
Doguwa was arrested for his alleged involvement in the killing of several persons and burning of the Secretariat of New Nigeria People’s Party in the just concluded general election.
The House Leader was on Wednesday remanded in prison custody by a chief magistrates’ court in Kano.
Ibukun Emmanuel, the INEC’s returning officer for the national assembly election in the state, had declared Adefarati winner, after polling 25,872 votes to beat his closest rival, Gbenga Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 18,403 votes.
Stating the reason behind the delisting, the electoral body cited a February 17 court order which voided the party’s primary that produced Adefarati as the candidate for the constituency.
It is understood that Segun Ategbole and John Adanike, aspirants in the primary election, had approached the court, alleging infractions in the exercise.
They also sought to be declared winners in their separate suits.
Also, Ogunleye Teloye, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)’s candidate for the seat, had also approached the court with an originating summons.
Ogunleye prayed the court to disqualify the APC from participating in the election over the party’s failure to conduct a primary election 180 days before the parliamentary poll.
However, T.B. Adegoke, the court judge, held that the APC had no candidate for the House of Representatives election, pointing out that the party did not hold a valid primary election.
Citing the 180 days window as provided in the Electoral Act, 2022, Adegoke restrained the APC from conducting any fresh primary poll.
The judge also restrained INEC from accepting the names of Ategbole and Adanike, or any name from APC, just as she barred Adefarati from presenting himself as the candidate of APC for the February 25 election.
