By The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that a total of 36,638 new voters were registered in Gombe State at the conclusion of Phase I of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Sa’ad Idris, disclosed this on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting convened to review Phase I and prepare for Phase II of the registration exercise.
According to him, the newly registered voters comprise 14,976 males, accounting for 42 per cent, and 20,475 females, representing 58 per cent, who registered across various centres within the state. An additional 1,187 voters were registered outside Gombe State.
Mr Idris further revealed that the commission recorded 7,613 voter transfers, documented 9,031 incidents, and facilitated the collection of 1,383 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the period under review.
While acknowledging some improvements in the process, the REC noted that Gombe’s registration figures were still relatively low when compared with other northern states.
“To put things in perspective, Kano recorded 167,790 registrations; Sokoto 162,299; Zamfara 106,906; Borno 126,816; while Yobe recorded 55,070,” he said.
He therefore called on stakeholders to intensify advocacy efforts to boost public participation in the ongoing CVR exercise. He also urged the media and security agencies to provide accurate information and ensure a peaceful and secure environment at registration centres.
Mr Idris warned against multiple registrations, describing the practice as both illegal and counterproductive.
“Multiple registration is an offence and also a waste of time. It discourages genuine registrants due to long queues,” he said. “Once you have registered before, there is no need to register again. Those who have lost or damaged their PVCs can apply for replacement, while those who have relocated can request a transfer.” he note.
He stressed the need for sustained public sensitisation to ensure a smooth and credible voter registration process in the state.
