A lawmaker of the All Progressives Congress, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has been sued for threatening to unleash violence on people opposed to the ruling APC at the 2023 general elections.

The plaintiff, Oseyili Anenih, who filed the suit at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on December 20, said Mr Doguwa’s ominous statement was “capable of causing threat, fear of use of force or threat in the minds of ordinary Nigerian electorate,” per the original copy of the Direct Criminal Complaint seen by Peoples Gazette. 

“‘On the day of election, wallahi, a person should either vote for APC or you will be dealt with. The day of election you either vote for APC, or you will be dealt with. When I say it, you should answer me: in Dogowa, either you vote for APC, or you will be dealt with’,” said an English translation of the lawmaker’s threat originally made in the Hausa language that was referenced in the criminal complaint.

Mr Anenih, the concerned citizen, noted that Mr Doguwa’s threat instilled fear in him and other potential voters, who might feel compelled to “support or refrain from supporting a political party.” 

The complainant stressed Mr Doguwa’s utterance contravened section 93 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and was punishable under the law, noting “that the society is crying for justice in this matter and only an intervention by the court can it be shown that there are no sacred cows or individuals bigger than the law.”

Mr Doguwa had, however, defended his utterances on a Channels TV programme, claiming “that is not a threat” but campaign rhetoric peculiar to Kano politics. 

“Asking people to vote for APC or we deal with them simply means – like what you can call shenanigans, political brouhaha which we make simply to ginger our supporters, to let them feel that we are on the ground and we will get it right,” Mr Doguwa explained.