By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Gombe State, Dr. Saad Umar Idris, has unveiled an aggressive grassroots-driven strategy to boost voter registration as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares to roll out Phase II of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the state.
Dr. Idris disclosed this on Thursday while engaging key stakeholders at a high-level meeting held at the Gombe International Hotel, where he reviewed the outcome of Phase I and laid out operational plans for the next phase of the exercise.
According to the REC, Gombe recorded a total of 36,638 new registrants during Phase I of the CVR, a figure he described as encouraging but still below expectations when compared with other states in the North.
In a notable shift, he revealed that female registrants outnumbered their male counterparts for the first time, a development he attributed to growing awareness and inclusion.
Despite the progress, Dr. Idris warned that the numbers were not sufficient to guarantee broad-based participation in future elections, urging political parties, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, the media and security agencies to intensify mobilisation efforts across communities.
In a major boost to accessibility, the REC announced that INEC had approved the devolution of voter registration to the Registration Areas (RAs), following sustained appeals from stakeholders.
Under the new arrangement, Voter Enrolment Devices (IVEDs) will be rotated across the state’s 114 Registration Areas for 50 days, beginning 2 February 2026, to ensure that registration reaches the grassroots.
“This approach is designed to remove distance barriers and take voter registration closer to the people,” Dr. Idris said, stressing that the success of Phase II would largely depend on collective ownership of the process by all stakeholders.
He, however, issued a stern warning against multiple registrations, describing it as a criminal offence that undermines the integrity of the electoral process and could lead to disqualification.
The REC revealed that preparatory engagements were already underway ahead of the exercise.
He disclosed that he had earlier met with staff of the Gombe State INEC office on Tuesday, 27 January, followed by a strategic session with Electoral Officers from the state’s 11 Local Government Areas on Wednesday, 28 January, to fine-tune logistics and operational details for Phase II.
Dr. Idris reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to delivering a credible, inclusive and transparent voter registration exercise, assuring stakeholders that all necessary measures were being put in place to ensure smooth operations.
He called on stakeholders to sustain collaboration with the Commission, noting that an expanded and credible voter register remains the foundation of democratic governance and credible elections in Gombe State.
