Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has denied the allegations that supporters of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), were responsible for the fire that gutted the secretariat of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Tudunwada Local Government Area of Kano state.
The police had confirmed that three people were killed when unidentified political thugs set the campaign secretariat of the NNPP ablaze on Sunday.
The NNPP had alleged that supporters of APC led by Doguwa set its secretariat ablaze.
Reacting to the allegation on Tuesday, Doguwa told journalists in Kano that the fire was self-inflicted by the NNPP supporters.
He added that the campaign secretariat of the NNPP that was burnt down was relocated to the area he said was 50 metres away from INEC office because of alleged plans to sack the INEC if things did not go as planned.
APC wins 40 constituencies in early results, NNPP 12, PDP 14, LP 4, APGA 1
APC loses all senatorial districts to PDP in Kaduna
He alleged that supporters of NNPP had cordoned off the INEC office with the intention of setting it ablaze so as to stop the collation of the Doguwa/Tudunwada federal constituency election, which he was later declared to have won.
“In fact, our supporters were even assisting to pour water to quench the fire,” he added.
He also denied allegations that he shot at several individuals in the fracas that broke out, saying he does not own a gun or knows how to fire one.
“I never held a gun. I don’t even know how to hold a gun. I also never held any weapon throughout the election,” he said.
He however said the crisis started when NNPP supporters came with the mindset of burning the INEC office and were repelled by supporters of APC.
He thereafter called on the security agencies, who he said were present throughout the crisis, to do a thorough investigation and take necessary actions to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area and Kano state in general.
