RismadarVoice Reporters
January 30, 2026
Women have outnumbered men in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Gombe State for the first time in the state’s history, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recorded 36,638 new voters during Phase I of the exercise.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Saad Idris, disclosed this on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting on Phase II of the CVR held at the Gombe International Hotel.
According to Idris, 35,451 voters were registered within Gombe State, comprising 14,976 males (42 per cent) and 20,475 females (58 per cent), while INEC’s national database reflected a cumulative total of 36,638 registrants, including those who registered outside the state.
“I have been told that this is the first time in the history of Gombe State that female registration is surpassing male registration. We must commend our women,” the REC said.
He further revealed that the exercise recorded 7,613 voter transfers, 9,031 corrections or updates of voter records, and 1,383 Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collections across the local government areas.
Despite the milestone, Idris expressed concern that Gombe’s overall registration figures remained low when compared to other northern states, including Kano, Sokoto, Borno, Zamfara and Yobe.
To boost participation, the REC announced that INEC had approved the devolution of voter registration to the Registration Areas, introducing a 50-day rotational deployment of INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVEDs) beginning Monday, February 2, 2026.
Under the arrangement, each of the state’s 114 Registration Areas will be assigned two INEC personnel and an IVED for five days, based on schedules prepared by Electoral Officers and approved by the REC.
“Registration during this phase will be conducted strictly at designated Registration Area centres. Any deviation without authorisation will not be tolerated,” Idris warned.
He also cautioned against multiple registrations, describing the act as illegal and counterproductive, noting that it wastes time and discourages genuine registrants due to long queues.
Idris advised residents who already possess voter cards not to re-register, but to apply for PVC replacement, data correction, or transfer where necessary.
Calling for collective action, the REC urged political parties, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, the media and security agencies to intensify mobilisation and support for the exercise, stressing that security agencies must ensure a peaceful environment for registration.
Describing the CVR as “a cornerstone of democratic participation,” Idris reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to credible, inclusive and transparent elections, urged stakeholders to redouble efforts during Phase II to further improve voter registration figures across the state.
