Alhassan Ado Doguwa, former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, expressed that securing victory in an election transcends mere vote counts, underscoring the significance of adhering to the established rules governing the electoral process.
Doguwa made these remarks during an interview on Channels Television, addressing the ongoing controversies surrounding the 2023 elections in Kano State.
Highlighting the essence of democratic practices in Nigeria, he emphasized that elections inherently revolve around adherence to rules and regulations. He emphasized that abiding by these rules is crucial in ensuring a free and fair electoral process.
He stated, “For me when you ask me about what is going on in Kano, the going on is usual, Kano has always been progressive, proactive state in terms politics and ideology.
“When it comes to issues of this nature, controversies are always the landmark of our own kind of politics, and everyone is entitled to his own opinion.”
Elucidating further on the essence of elections within a democratic framework, Doguwa emphasized, “What our people may fail to understand or some of our people are lacking in understanding is that elections, especially in democratic settings like the one we are operating in Nigeria, are always about the rules of the game, not just about winning an election.”
He continued, “Winning an election can be contesting to win an election under the laid-down rules and regulations as provided in the electoral act and in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is also part of what you must abide by to win a free and fair election.
“A free and fair election is not only about counting ballots alone, more or less, even when the votes were counted, yet there were some votes that were said to be illegal votes.
“So you must accept the fact that yes, what we obtain in our own kind of politics and democracy and even beyond Nigeria is about following the rules of the game.”
