Kano ramps up voter registration efforts with 9,680 trained volunteers

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh | Kano

The Kano State Government has announced that over 9,680 volunteers will be deployed across the state to support the ongoing online pre-voter registration exercise, aimed at boosting voter participation ahead of future elections.

The announcement was made by Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, Chairman of the Voter Registration Mobilization Taskforce and Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, during a strategic meeting with local government chairmen held at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

According to Waiya, each of the 484 wards across Kano’s 44 local government areas will have at least 20 trained volunteers—equipped with Android smartphones—to assist citizens with the online registration process.

“The volunteers will be selected from their local communities, including female participants, and will be trained to facilitate pre-voter registration,” he explained. “They, in turn, will train others at the polling unit level to ensure full grassroots coverage.”

The move follows concerns about low voter registration turnout in Kano during previous online pre-registration exercises, despite the state being the most populous in Nigeria.

“This should serve as a wake-up call,” Waiya told the council chairmen. “We must do more to educate and mobilize our people to participate.”

The meeting aimed to foster collaboration between the Taskforce and local government officials to streamline logistics and intensify awareness campaigns.

Waiya also reaffirmed the support of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, saying the state government is committed to ensuring the success of the voter registration effort.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Tajo Othman Zaura, called on council chairmen to treat the registration mobilization as a civic duty, regardless of political affiliation.

“This is about our democratic future, not politics,” Zaura said.

The Vice Chairman of ALGON and Chairman of Nasarawa LGA, Alhaji Yusuf Imam Ogan Boye, also pledged the full support of local governments in achieving wide participation in the exercise.