Elections: How former Speaker Dogara was 'beaten' at home

Former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, could not pull his weight for his new party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in his federal constituency and senatorial zone in last Saturday’s national assembly elections.

Dogara, was first elected to the House of Representatives on the platform of PDP from the Dass/Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency in 2007.

Dogara was elected Speaker of the House on the platform of the platform in 2015.

But he defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2022. His seat was later declared vacant, following his defection by a court in Abuja.

The former Speaker abandoned the APC after the party chose Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shetimma – both Muslims as its presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively last year.

Dogara had said the APC ticket was a violation of the religious diversity in Nigeria.

He later declared support for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP.

The former Speaker had consequently embarked on vigorous campaign against the APC and its presidential ticket while canvassing support for Atiku.

But the people of Dogara’s constituency seemed not to have heeded his advice going by results of the presidential and national assembly elections conducted last Saturday.

In the presidential election conducted last Saturday, Atiku won in Bauchi, defeating the APC candidate by 426,607 votes to 316,694 votes.

But Dogara could not repeat the same feat for PDP in his constituency and senatorial district.

For one, Leko Gambo won his Dass/Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency for APC, polling 54,128 votes to defeat Magaji Kefas of PDP who got 52,314 votes.

Quni Simon of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got 5,662 votes.

Also, Shehu Buba of APC was declared the winner of the Bauchi South Senatorial District Election with 175,505 votes.

He beat Garba Dahiru of PDP who got 165,727 votes.

Bauchi South Senatorial District comprises Bauchi, Toro, Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa of Dogara.

It also included Alkaleri, Kirfi Federal Constituency which was also won by Kabiru Alhaji of the APC.