The League of Civil Society Organisations in Kano State has condemned the alleged distribution of 1,540 plots of land and N100 million in public funds to grassroots leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the action as an abuse of public trust and a violation of constitutional and electoral laws.
In a statement issued on Saturday, endorsed by 23 organizations, the League of CSOs argued that the allocation comes at a time when millions of Kano residents are grappling with widespread poverty and economic hardship.
Citing the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Multidimensional Poverty Index, the group said Kano has a multidimensional poverty rate of 66.3 per cent, with about 10.51 million residents experiencing deprivation in health, education and basic living standards.
The coalition also referenced projections by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which warned that up to 141 million Nigerians could fall into poverty by the end of 2026, as well as the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework, which estimates that 79 per cent of Nigerians remain poor or vulnerable to poverty.
According to the League of CSOs, using public land and funds to reward party loyalists undermines public confidence in governance and diverts scarce resources from addressing the needs of ordinary citizens.
It alleged that the action violates Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates government to eliminate corruption and abuse of power, as well as Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, which prohibits bribery and inducement in relation to elections.
It further argued that the alleged allocation contradicts the principles of the Land Use Act, which vests public land in governors to hold in trust for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Beyond the legal implications, the coalition warned that the move could weaken democratic competition by using state resources to strengthen one political party at the expense of others.
The civil society group also said the alleged action falls short of international democratic standards, including the Venice Commission’s Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters, which discourages the use of public resources for partisan political advantage.
The coalition called for the immediate suspension of the land allocation and disbursement of funds pending an independent review.
It also urged the Kano State House of Assembly to conduct a public investigation into the source of the N100 million and the criteria used in selecting beneficiaries.
The group further called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the matter as a possible violation of the Electoral Act and demanded the publication of the full list of beneficiaries.
The League of Civil Society maintained that transparency, accountability, and equal access to public resources are essential for safeguarding democracy and ensuring that government serves the interests of all citizens rather than partisan interests.
Endorsed By:
- Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama – Wuro Development Concerns (WDCN)
- Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo, Esq. – Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN)
- Mohammed Bello – African Centre for Innovative Research and Development (AFRI-CIRD)
- Abdullahi Y. Sule – Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA)
- Abdulkadir Musa Hausawa – Youth Enlightenment Forum
- Abbas Adamu – Voice of Concerned Teachers’ Forum, Kano State
- Sani Ilyas Abdullahi, Esq. – Joint Action Front (JAF), Kano State
- Comrade Fatima A. Ibrahim – United Action for Democracy (UAD), Kano State
- Comrade Khadija Hudu A. – Justice, Accountability and Rights Advocacy Centre
- Comrade Moh’d Sani Garba – Pay it Forward Initiative
- Fatima Muhammad – Gender Inclusive and Development Support Initiative, Kano
- Aminu Sani Muhammad, Esq. – Rule of Law and Justice Advancement Network (ROLJAN)
- Comrade M. K. Adam – Societal-Based Initiative for Rights, Peace and Development (SOBIRPED)
- Fatima Ibrahim Badamasi – Gender Support and Youth Empowerment Initiative (GENSAYE)
- Buhari Abubakar Usman – Centre for Legal Orientation and Humanitarian Aid (CELOHA)
- Abdullahi Yahaya, Esq. – Public Interest Litigation Group (PILG)
- Comrade Auwal Salisu – Centre for Awareness Reorientation and Empowerment (CARE-Africa)
- Umar Isa Sulaiman, Esq. – Frontier for Gender Advocacy, Accountability & Empowerment Initiative.
- Maryam Garba Usman – Centre for Gender and Social Inclusion (CAGSI)
- Fatima Chabir Aliyu, Esq. – Community-Based Equal Justice Initiative
- Comrade Salisu Ibrahim Sa’eed – Kano Youth Integrity Forum
- Comrade Baraya Garba Hassan – Centre for Education, Health and Entrepreneurship Development (CEHED), Nigeria.
- Abba Bello Ahmed – Campaign for Democracy (CD), Kano State
