The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has expressed serious concerns over the recent inauguration of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee by the Kano State Government, describing the process as inconsistent with global best practices and potentially undermining transparency and accountability.
In a statement released on Thursday, the League welcomed the government’s declared commitment to open governance but criticized the structure and selection of committee members.
“The recently inaugurated committee in Kano suffers from ‘Executive Dominance Syndrome,’” the statement read. It noted that the inclusion of five high-ranking commissioners in the committee “stifles honest, critical dialogue, which is the heartbeat of OGP.”
The League also condemned the exclusion of the private sector, academia, and professional bodies from the non-state representation, arguing that this limits the technical expertise required to tackle complex issues such as access to justice, climate finance, and anti-corruption measures.
The coalition further questioned the process of selecting civil society representatives, pointing out that “there is no documented, transparent evidence of an independent election or selection process by the wider Kano Civil Society Forum to determine the eight members inaugurated.”
The group also highlighted remarks by the Government Co-Chair, Comrade Nura Ma’aji Sumaila, that stakeholders would “soon reconvene to be guided by the principle of co-creation,” describing it as “an admission of a top-down approach. Co-creation is not an afterthought; it is a precondition.”
Warning that the current composition of the committee could erode public trust, the League said, “By filling the Steering Committee with political appointees rather than independent technical experts, the government risks a ‘Trust Deficit Spiral.’”
The civil society coalition outlined several recommendations to restore credibility to Kano’s OGP process, including suspending current non-state appointments pending independent validation, expanding membership to include the private sector and professional bodies, ensuring at least 40 percent female representation, and reserving a permanent seat for persons with disabilities.
The statement also called for the immediate disclosure of the status report on the 2024–2026 State Action Plan and the establishment of a multi-stakeholder co-creation portal to enable real-time citizen engagement.
“Kano deserves a government that is not just open in name, but open in deed,” the League said.
The League of Civil Society Organizations, comprising over 20 member groups such as the Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN), the Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA), and the Civil Society Organization for Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (CS-CRIN), reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with the government while vowing to speak out on deviations from the principles of open governance.
