By Rabiu Sanusi
The Kano State Government has called on Imams of Juma’at mosques and Islamic scholars across the state to intensify efforts in educating the public on the importance of voter registration and the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of future elections.
The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, made the call during a sensitisation workshop organized for Juma’at mosque Imams by the state’s ad-hoc committee on voter registration awareness.
Represented by the Chairman of the Labour Sub-Committee on Public Sensitisation, Abbas Ibrahim, the commissioner said the workshop was designed to equip religious leaders with the necessary knowledge to enlighten their congregations on the benefits of obtaining voter cards.
According to him, voter registration remains a fundamental civic responsibility that empowers citizens to participate actively in the democratic process and elect leaders they believe possess the capacity and integrity to govern effectively.
Waiya noted that religious leaders occupy a strategic position in society due to their close relationship with the people, stressing that their involvement would significantly boost public participation in voter registration exercises.
He urged the Imams to use their Friday sermons and other religious gatherings to encourage eligible citizens to register and collect their voter cards in order to strengthen democracy and ensure greater representation of the people’s interests.
Speaking on behalf of the participating Imams, the Secretary of the Kano State chapter of the National Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Abubakar Tofa, described voter registration as an important tool for ensuring accountability in governance.
He stated that registering to vote gives citizens the opportunity to choose leaders of their choice and remove those whose leadership they no longer support through a democratic process.
Sheikh Tofa further explained that active participation in electoral processes could contribute to increased access to federal resources and development opportunities for communities.
He commended the Kano State Government for involving religious leaders in the awareness campaign, describing the initiative as timely and beneficial to democratic development.
The participating Imams pledged to support the campaign by sensitising their followers and communities on the need to register and obtain their voter cards.
Our Reporter reports that the clerics expressed confidence that their close interaction with members of the public would help increase awareness and participation in the voter registration exercise across the state.