Isiyaku Ahmed
Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has won the Crisis Communicator Award at the 6th National Spokespersons Awards held in Abuja.
Comrade Waiya received the award on Thursday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel during the 4th Economic Confidential Lecture and 6th National Spokespersons Awards organized by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR).
The event had the theme, “Anti-Corruption Reforms, Economic Stability and Effective Communication.”
The commissioner emerged as the winner of the Crisis Communicator category for his role in providing steady and verified information during crises, promoting calm and strengthening public trust in government actions.
Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, Comrade Waiya attributed the award to the support of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, saying the governor’s backing had created an enabling environment for the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs to excel.
He dedicated the award to the Governor, describing it as recognition of the administration’s commitment to effective communication and inclusive governance.
Comrade Waiya said the award was particularly significant because it was the first time a recipient from the North-West had won a National Spokespersons Award since its inception, adding that it was also the first time the honour had come to Kano State.
Earlier, Chairman of the 2026 jury, Prof. Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, said the awards had evolved beyond an annual ceremony into a platform for promoting professionalism, effective communication and public trust.
She said a spokesperson’s responsibility extended beyond speaking for an organization to building understanding, managing expectations, protecting institutional credibility and earning public confidence.
According to her, the 2026 edition received 171 nominations, out of which 99 passed the initial eligibility screening.
Following further assessment, 42 entries emerged as finalists, while a final review produced 30 finalists across 15 categories.
She said entries were assessed based on impact, innovation and originality, campaign reach, and the quality of evidence submitted.
Prof Abdulbaqi explained that the jury prioritized measurable results and evidence of impact rather than merely well-presented campaigns, adding that entries that failed to meet the required standards were not selected simply to fill available slots.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, in his keynote address, described corruption as a global challenge that distorts economies, fuels inequality and undermines national security.
Aliyu, SAN, who spoke on the theme of the lecture, adopted Robert Klitgaard’s definition of corruption as a combination of monopoly, discretion, and lack of accountability.
He said corruption was not peculiar to Nigeria or Africa, citing the Siemens and Odebrecht scandals as examples of major international corruption cases with links to several countries.
The ICPC chairman said the Siemens investigation revealed alleged bribery involving public officials in different countries, including Nigeria, demonstrating how corruption by multinational companies could have cross-border consequences.
He said corruption also distorted markets, encouraged inequality, contributed to insecurity and deprived countries of resources needed for development.
Citing a 2025 study by the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre in Gaborone, Botswana, Dr. Aliyu, SAN, said 93 per cent of respondents working in anti-corruption agencies and civil society organizations across 14 Commonwealth African countries considered corruption highly prevalent.
He added that the figure rose to 97 per cent among Nigerian respondents drawn from institutions including the ICPC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Code of Conduct Bureau.
According to him, the respondents identified greed, lack of integrity, and poverty among the major drivers of corruption.
