Alhassan Ado Doguwa, a federal lawmaker from Kano, has explained that his threat to “deal mercilessly” with Nigerians who would not vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections is a political style peculiar with Kano State. 

On December 6, Peoples Gazette had reported how Mr Doguwa, the Majority Leader at the House of Representatives and an ally of Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, in a campaign rally said: “it is either you vote for APC or we deal with you mercilessly.”

Queried on why he made the threat in an interview with Channels TV on Tuesday night, Mr Doguwa said “That is not a threat. 

“Asking people to vote for APC or we deal with them simple 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 said.

Explaining further, the lawmaker said, “we have the shenanigans we use during electioneering campaigns. Kano State is an aggressive state in terms of politics of ideology. In Kano State, we have our own way or approaches when it comes to campaigns. You must employ and use what will ginger your people.”

Prior to Mr Doguwa’s threat, the Kano APC chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, had similarly threatened that the APC will win the forthcoming elections by hook or crook.  

“People are saying that I should stop saying the APC will capture Kano by hook or crook. I want to tell this gathering that the APC will capture Kano by hook or crook,” Mr Abbas said. 

Kano ranks among states with the highest number of registered voters in Nigeria and has often determined the tide of victory in national elections. 

A former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso is the presidential candidate of opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party. He has a strong following in his base and is expected to challenge strongly for the all-important Kano votes.