By Mercy Peter
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Gombe State, Dr Saad Umar Idris, has engaged key stakeholders in the state to review the outcome of Phase I of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The essence Idris said is to outline operational plans for Phase II, which will focus on bringing voter registration closer to communities through a rotational deployment to Registration Areas (RAs).
The stakeholders’ meeting, held on Thursday at the Gombe International Hotel, brought together representatives of political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), traditional and religious institutions, the media, security agencies and other relevant groups with a stake in the electoral process.
Dr Idris disclosed that a total of 36,638 new voters were registered during Phase I of the CVR exercise in the state.
He described the figure as an improvement compared to previous exercises, but noted that Gombe’s overall registration numbers remain relatively low when compared with other states in the northern part of the country.
The REC revealed that female registrants outnumbered male registrants for the first time in the state’s CVR history, a trend he described as encouraging and reflective of growing female participation in the electoral process.
He, however, stressed that more needed to be done to significantly expand the voter register ahead of future elections.
Dr Idris called for intensified mobilisation efforts by political parties, civil society groups, religious and traditional leaders, the media and security agencies to sensitise residents on the importance of voter registration.
He emphasised that broad-based stakeholder engagement remains critical to achieving inclusive participation and strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
The REC announced that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the rotational deployment of Integrated Voter Enrolment Devices (IVEDs) across the state’s 114 Registration Areas.
He explained that the arrangement, which will run for 50 days beginning from 2 February 2026, is aimed at decentralising the exercise and ensuring that prospective voters, particularly those in rural and hard-to-reach communities, can register with ease.
Dr Idris cautioned against multiple registrations, reminding stakeholders and the public that registering more than once is an electoral offence.
He noted that such practices undermine the credibility of the register and run contrary to efforts to build a transparent and trustworthy electoral system.
The REC further informed the meeting that the Commission has been engaging internally to ensure a smooth rollout of Phase II.
According to him, he held a meeting with staff of the INEC Gombe State Office on Tuesday, 27 January, followed by a separate meeting with Electoral Officers from the 11 Local Government Areas on Wednesday, 28 January, to review logistics, staffing and operational readiness.
Dr Idris assured stakeholders of INEC’s unwavering commitment to conducting a credible, inclusive and transparent Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
He expressed optimism that sustained collaboration with stakeholders would lead to improved registration figures and greater citizen participation in the electoral process across Gombe State.
