The APC in Kano State has appointed Baffa Babba Dan Agundi and Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi as the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the E-Registration Membership Committee.

Inaugurating the 14-member committee headed by Engineer Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, the Kano State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, said other members of the committee include Abdul Adamu Fagge and Musa Ali Kachako.

The others are Shafi’u Abdullahi Darma, Ahmad Aruwa, Sanusi Sa’idu Kiru Majidadi, Khalid Ishaq Diso, Auwalu Ubale Minjibir, Fa’iz Alfindiki, Binta Rabi’u Spikin, Umar Muhd ​​Rabiu, Muhd ​​Tudun Wada Tweeter and Aminu Umar Dawakin Kudu as the Secretary.

Alhaji Abbas explained how the committee would function and urged the members of the committee to work hard to ensure the success of the project. He said the project would cover all the wards in the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the official commencement of the campaign period for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, declared that the ban on public campaigns will be lifted on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. The campaign window will remain open until midnight on June 18, 2026.

Dr. Omoseyindemi made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, attended by INEC officials and leaders of participating political parties. He called on all parties to engage in decorous and peaceful campaigns in the build-up to the election.

“With the publication of the final list of candidates, the campaign period now enters a critical phase that demands maturity, restraint, and strict adherence to the law by all political actors,” he stated.

The REC emphasized that peaceful campaigns are fundamental to ensuring a credible election and the overall stability of the state. He reiterated INEC’s commitment to conducting a transparent and peaceful poll and urged parties to comply fully with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Campaigns.

This development follows the commission’s publication, barely 24 hours earlier, of the final list of governorship candidates and their running mates for the 12 parties cleared to contest the election.

It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party, whose candidates were omitted from the list, have previously indicated they are seeking legal redress to participate in the election.

The Adolescent Health and Information Project (AHIP) has organized a one-day media training aimed at strengthening journalists’ engagement on issues of irregular migration, legal migration pathways, and reintegration of returnees.

The training, held on Tuesday at Gidan AHIP, Maiduguri Road, Kano, brought together media professionals to deliberate on effective communication strategies for promoting safe and legal migration practices.

AHIP, a youth-focused non-governmental organization, is implementing the ROOTS Project (Resilient Opportunities for Outreach, Trade & Sustainability) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with funding support from the European Union under the Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa – Phase II (FMM West Africa II) initiative.

Speaking during the event, the Executive Director of AHIP, Hajiya Mairo Bello, said the ROOTS Project was designed to deepen journalists’ understanding of migration dynamics, regional trade systems under ECOWAS free movement protocols, and climate-responsive governance aimed at promoting gender equality and migrant protection.

According to her, the media plays a vital role in shaping public perception and influencing behavior on migration-related issues. She emphasized that the training provided a platform for collaboration between the media and development partners to ensure balanced reporting and sustained awareness creation.

“We want people to understand that they can earn legitimately in their home country without the need for irregular migration to another country,”
Dr. Bello stated.

She explained that the project is being implemented in Dala, Ungogo, and Bunkure Local Government Areas of Kano State, noting that research revealed these locations as major routes used by irregular migrants.

Dr. Bello added that the initiative also seeks to support the reintegration of returnee migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs) through agribusiness and enterprise development training.

Presenting an overview of the project, the Project Manager, Hajiya Halima Usman, explained that the expected outcomes of the ROOTS Project include increased household income, improved food security, and reduced pressure for irregular migration.

She added that the project also aims to encourage safer migration practices, informed decision-making, and the strengthening of gender-responsive local institutions to enhance sustainable community resilience across Kano State.

Delivering a paper titled “Media’s Role in Preventing Irregular Migration,” the facilitator, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, described migration as a global phenomenon with significant social, economic, and security implications when undertaken irregularly.

He identified poverty, unemployment, conflict, insecurity, lack of awareness, and false promises as major drivers of irregular migration.

In another presentation titled “Using Media Content for Community Outreach,” Comrade Abbas noted that ROOTS media content focuses on empowerment, skills, resilience, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

He stated that the objectives of the ROOTS media content include promoting positive livelihood opportunities, preventing irregular migration, encouraging skills development and entrepreneurship, inspiring community resilience, and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The core interventions of the ROOTS Project include:
• Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) training and input support
• Agribusiness and livelihood assistance for returnees
• Vocational and life-skills training for women and youths
• Financial literacy and cooperative development
• Migration governance and ECOWAS Free Movement awareness
• Gender-based violence prevention, psychosocial support, and community engagement