By Abbas Ibrahim
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf demonstrated early commitment and strong leadership by constituting a high powered State Taskforce on Voter Registration. The committee was chaired by Comrade Abdullahi Waiya and included key commissioners responsible for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Women Affairs, and Livestock, alongside other senior government officials. This provided political backing, effective coordination, and accountability throughout the exercise.
Decentralized Strategy Through 12 Specialized Sub-Committees Instead of relying on a single committee, the taskforce was divided into 12 specialized sub-committees, each targeting a strategic segment of society. These include publicity, local government engagement, women mobilization, ICT and data analysis, youth and students, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, persons with special needs, religious leaders, transport unions, business communities and mn, Fulbe communities, and organized labour. This structure ensured that virtually every demographic was reached through tailored mobilization.
Grassroots Mobilization Through Local Governments The inclusion of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, ALGON representatives, and grassroots advisers ensured that mobilization reached all 44 Local Government Areas, making registration campaigns community driven rather than centralized.
Engagement of Traditional and Religious Institutions Kano leveraged the influence of district heads, representatives of the Emirate Council, the Council of Ulama, the Sharia Commission, and Hisbah to encourage citizens to register. These trusted institutions enjoy significant credibility and helped increase public participation.
Strategic Women’s Mobilization The Women Engagement Sub-Committee brought together the Ministry of Women Affairs, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), and FIDA to specifically target female registration, helping to reduce gender gaps in voter registration.
Youth and Student Participation Dedicated committees for students and youth, involving student leaders and youth organizations, ensured sustained awareness among first-time voters, a critical demographic in every election cycle
Data-Driven Coordination The ICT, Data Collection and Analysis Committee, chaired by Dr. Aliyu Isa Aliyu with support from KASITDA and digital economy experts, enabled continuous monitoring of registration trends and informed deployment of mobilization efforts where needed.
Media and Publicity Campaign The publicity committee incorporated leaders from Radio Kano, Abubakar Rimi Television, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), ensuring consistent dissemination of voter registration messages across broadcast and print media.
Inclusive Stakeholder Participation Civil society organizations, persons with special needs, transport unions, traders, and Fulbe communities, all had dedicated platforms within the taskforce, making the campaign inclusive and community owned.
Organized Labor
By harnessing the influence of organized labour, Kano State transformed workers into grassroots mobilizers, extending the campaign beyond offices and factories into households and communities, thereby contributing to the state’s leading performance in the ongoing CVR exercise.
The Secretariat,
The impressive performance of the Kano State Taskforce on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) was driven not only by the activities of its 12 sub-committees but also by the professional coordination and efficient day-to-day management provided by a team of seasoned technocrats. Led by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Salisu Mustapha, the Secretariat ensured effective planning, seamless communication, timely implementation of decisions, and close monitoring of activities across all committees. This strong administrative coordination translated into sustained statewide mobilisation, improved synergy among stakeholders, and ultimately contributed significantly to Kano State’s emergence as the leading state in the CVR process.
Comrade Abbas Ibrahim is the chairman, Labour Sub-committee of the Taskforce and can be reached at abbas Ibrahim664@gmail.com