northern promise

Nigeria 2023: Kano State remains the key to unlock the north

in depth

This article is part of the dossier:

Nigeria 2023: The battleground states

By Eniola Akinkuotu

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Posted on January 26, 2023 18:00

ANPP SUPPORTERS HEAD TO A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN KANO.
Buhari could always get a crowd in Kano… Thousands of Nigerian main opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) supporters gather at the race course in Kano city Nigeria for a final political campaign rally April 9, 2003. REUTERS/George Esiri

The commercial capital of Northern Nigeria is central to winning elections in the country. It has the second largest number of registered voters after Lagos, at 5.9 million. However, unlike Lagos, turnout is higher, and Kano regularly produces the highest number of votes in elections.  

This is part 4 of a 9-part series

In the last two elections, the state produced the largest number of votes for the APC. In 2015 and 2019, President Buhari polled 1.9 million and 1.4 million votes, respectively, in Kano. However, the race is more open this time around as Buhari – who has been sweeping polls in Kano – will not be on the ballot for the first time in 20 years.

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