Isiyaku Ahmed
The League of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Kano State has strongly rejected the recent clarification issued by the Government Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji, describing it as an attempt to justify procedural violations and “rewrite global rules.”
In a detailed response to the government’s rejoinder on the 1 April 2026 inauguration issued to newsmen on Friday, the League of CSOs accused the state government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of breaching established OGP guidelines by conducting what it termed a “solo inauguration” of government representatives.
The CSOs argued that the concept of separate inaugurations is alien to global OGP practice, stressing that the Steering Committee is a unified, multi-stakeholder body that must be jointly inaugurated to reflect equal partnership between government and civil society.
According to the League of CSOs, “there is no precedent across more than 75 countries and over 100 sub-national entities where government representatives are inaugurated separately,” warning that such a move undermines the principle of co-creation, which is central to the OGP framework.
The League further criticized the government’s claim of adherence to co-creation principles, insisting that inaugurating only one side of the committee creates a “fait accompli” and sidelines civil society from the outset of the governance process.
On the participation of the CSO Co-Chair at the event, the League maintained that mere presence does not equate to active participation, describing the role as that of an observer rather than a partner in the decision-making process.
The statement also faulted the timing of the inauguration, noting that the tenure of the current CSO Steering Committee was nearing completion and that the appropriate action would have been to wait for the emergence of new representatives before holding a joint ceremony.
Raising broader concerns, the coalition warned that the current approach could lead to what it described as “bureaucratic capture” of the OGP process, erosion of transparency, and damage to the state’s international reputation within the global OGP community.
It further cautioned that failure to adhere to established guidelines could attract scrutiny from the OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) and potentially weaken public trust in governance processes.
To address the situation, the CSOs called on the state government to formally acknowledge what they described as a procedural lapse, suspend all unilateral committee activities, and commit to a unified inauguration involving both government and civil society representatives.
They also demanded full disclosure of the Steering Committee’s Terms of Reference to ensure transparency and safeguard the independence of civil society participation.
“The OGP is a partnership of equals, not a government-led project with CSO observers,” the League stated, urging authorities to prioritise accountability over what it termed “the politics of optics.”
‘Let us return to the path of true Co-Creation’.
Endorsed By:
1. Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama – Wuro Development Concerns (WDCN)
2. Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo, Esq. – Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN)
3. Mohammed Bello – African Centre for Innovative Research and Development (AFRI-CIRD)
4. Abdullahi Y. Sule – Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA)
5. Abdulkadir Musa Hausawa – Youth Enlightenment Forum
6. Adeniyi Aremu, Esq. – Civil Society Organization for Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (CS-CRIN)
7. Sani Ilyas Abdullahi, Esq. – Joint Action Front (JAF), Kano State
8. Comrade Fatima A. Ibrahim – United Action for Democracy (UAD), Kano State
9. Comrade Khadija Hudu A. – Justice, Accountability and Rights Advocacy Centre
10. Comrade Moh’d Sani Garba – Pay it Forward Initiative
11. Fatima Muhammad – Gender Inclusive and Development Support Initiative, Kano
12. Aminu Sani Muhammad, Esq. – Rule of Law and Justice Advancement Network (ROLJAN)
13. Comrade M. K. Adam – Societal-Based Initiative for Rights, Peace and Development (SOBIRPED)
14. Fatima Ibrahim Badamasi – Gender Support and Youth Empowerment Initiative (GENSAYE)
15. Buhari Abubakar Usman – Centre for Legal Orientation and Humanitarian Aid (CELOHA)
16. Abdullahi Yahaya, Esq. – Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Kano State
17. Comrade Auwal Salisu – Centre for Awareness Reorientation and Empowerment (CARE-Africa)
18. Umar Isa Sulaiman, Esq. – Frontier for Gender Advocacy, Accountability & Empowerment Initiative.
19. Maryam Garba Usman – Centre for Gender and Social Inclusion (CAGSI)
20. Fatima Chabir Aliyu, Esq. – Community-Based Equal Justice Initiative
21. Comrade Salisu Ibrahim Sa’eed – Kano Youth Integrity Forum
22. Comrade Baraya Garba Hassan – Centre for Education, Health and Entrepreneurship Development (CEHED), Nigeria.
23. Abba Bello Ahmed – Campaign for Democracy (CD), Kano State
