GOMBE, Nigeria — Women have registered to vote in higher numbers than men in Gombe State for the first time. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shared the milestone while announcing a new push to bring registration centers directly into local neighborhoods to bolster turnout.
A New Demographic Trend
During a briefing at the Gombe International Hotel on Thursday, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Saad Umar Idris confirmed that 36,638 new voters were captured during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. While the female majority marks a milestone for gender inclusion in the state, Dr. Idris warned that overall numbers remain underwhelming compared to neighboring states in northern Nigeria.”Despite these improvements, Gombe’s figures are still low,” Dr. Idris told an audience of political leaders, civil society groups, and traditional rulers. “We need a stronger push from all sectors to ensure no citizen is left behind.”
Bringing the Vote Closer
To address accessibility issues, INEC is launching “Phase II” of the exercise on February 2, 2026. For the next 50 days, Voter Enrolment Devices will be moved on a rotational basis across all 114 Registration Areas (wards) in the state. This “devolution” of the process is a direct response to feedback from local communities who argued that traveling to central local government offices was a barrier for many rural dwellers.
The Warning on ‘Double Voting‘
The Commission also issued a stern reminder regarding the legalities of the process. Dr. Idris emphasized that: Multiple registration is a criminal offense. The system is designed to detect duplicate entries, rendering “double-dipping” counterproductive. The goal is a “credible, inclusive, and transparent” database.
The announcement follows a week of intensive operational planning with electoral officers from all 11 Local Government Areas to ensure the mobile registration units function smoothly in more remote territories.
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