Alhassan Doguwa: A Lesson in Weathering Political Storms
By Khadijah Ahmad Ado
Give it to him. He is a master political warrior. Alhassan Ado Doguwa is not just a lawmaker. He is one that is adept in overcoming every kind of political battle. He fights to the finish.
No contemporary Nigerian lawmaker has faced the type of ordeal and political travails that have come Doguwa’s way. Little wonder, he is one of the few federal lawmakers who recently won a fifth term, back to House of Representatives.
But his journey to the 10th Reps was not smooth sailing. It was arduous, rough and bumpy. The gang-up against him, was massive. Yet, he emerged unscathed. The last laugh was his. While his adversaries gnashed their teeth.
Indeed, Doguwa has represented the good people of Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State so remarkably in the National Assembly. Since 2007 when he was first elected into the Green Chamber, the incumbent Majority Leader of the House of Reps has not failed on his mandate.
That was why many of his constituents and even those living in Kano concluded that the February 25 National Assembly, NASS, elections, especially that of Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency will be a walkover for him.
But even though it didn’t turn out to be a stroll in the pack for him. Doguwa, nonetheless checkmated the hurricane of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, in Kano.
He was among the few Kano APC House of Reps candidates that resoundingly won their elections. But his detractors and critics will not let him savour his victory. They had other sinister plans.
Hours after INEC declared Hon. Doguwa as winner of the February 25 NASS election for his constituency, social media reports that couldn’t be substantiated, buzzed the internet.
They alleged that the Majority Leader ordered the burning of some youths loyal to the NNPP in Kano, at one of the party’s Secretariat.
The travails of Hon. Doguwa in the aftermath of the February 25 poll was exploited by his opponents, bent on frustrating his re-election bid. In the build up to last weekend’s supplementary elections, those behind the Anti-Doguwa were unrelenting.
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They plotted his downfall, but he would emerge triumphant, eventually. Notwithstanding the evil campaign launched by his opponents, Hon. Doguwa was returned as the duly elected Reps member, for the fifth term.
INEC Returning Officer for the rerun election, Prof. Sani Ibrahim, declared Doguwa winner after polling 41,573 votes to defeat his closest rival and NNPP candidate Yushau Salihu Abdullahi who scored 34,831 votes in the election.
With his return to the Green Chamber, the race for the 10th Speakership, will just get fiercer, keener and hotter. Aside from being the Majority Leader, Doguwa is one lawmaker that has garnered the requisite capacity and experience to pilot the affairs of the House.
Already, his victory at last Saturday’s NASS re-run election for Tundun-Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency caused panic in camps of some aspirants for the position Speaker in the 10th NASS.
Credible sources at the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Secretariat, said that Doguwa may become the choice of their party for the position of speaker, thus putting an end to the ambition of some ranking lawmakers who have begun subtle campaigns for the Speakership.
According to them, there had been an unwritten agreement between president-elect Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje to produce Doguwa as speaker of the 10th National Assembly.
With or without the endorsement of the ruling party, Hon. Doguwa is eminently qualified to assume leadership of the 10 Reps. He fits the bill perfectly. The Kano State-born lawmaker, without exaggerating, has contributed to the peace, stability and unity of the 9th Reps.
Doguwa’s unflinching pedigree and commitment to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy is legendary, by every standard. A swashbuckling parliamentarian, Hon Doguwa, since becoming a Reps member, has not wavered in offering support to bills and motions that will better the fortunes of the masses.
Among those aspiring to lead the 10th Reps, the personality of Hon. Alhassan Doguwa is not only standing tall, but very intimidating. He is a shining example of a bridge builder, who relates so well with every Honorable member in the outgoing House of Representatives.
Highly respected by his colleagues, Doguwa is one, among the few Nigerian politicians endowed with a proven track record of exemplary service, a criteria that makes him suitable to succeed Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
*Khadijah, a Mass Communication student of Skyline University Nigeria, is an intern with PRNigeria*
