Rakiya A.Muhammad
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is bringing the continuous voters’ registration (CVR) exercise closer to the people by expanding it to the ward level in Sokoto State, opening the door for more eligible voters to participate.
Umar Yusuf Garba, INEC Resident Commissioner in Sokoto, disclosed this while speaking on the successful conclusion of the first phase and commencement of the second phase of continuous voter registration (CVR), which officially began on 5 January 2026 and will run until 17 April 2026.
The first phase took place at local government headquarters, making it difficult for many people in remote communities to reach these far-off centres.
“We are bringing the process closer to the people by moving it to the ward level, aiming to ease their burden and encourage more to register,” he said.
Garba explained that the first phase of the CVR exercise was conducted from 18 August 2025 to 10 December 2025, followed by the display of the voters’ register for claims and objections, which took place from 15 December 2025 to 21 December 2025.
He revealed that at the end of the exercise, Sokoto State emerged as the third best-performing state nationwide, with a total of 162,299 successfully registered voters.
According to him, the achievement reflected the growing civic awareness of the people of the state and their commitment to democratic participation.
He highlighted key successes recorded include high registration turnout across both urban and rural registration centres efficient registration processes with minimal disruptions and Improved public sensitization and stakeholder engagement
The Resident Commissioner commended the people of Sokoto State for their cooperation, patience and active participation, and the dedication of INEC staff whom he noted ensured the smooth conduct of the exercise.
He said the second phase was aimed at registering eligible Nigerians who have attained the voting age of 18 years, replacing lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), correcting errors or updating voter information and transferring voter registration within, out of, or into Sokoto State
“Registration will take place at the 23 INEC Local Government offices, the State Office, and other designated and approved registration centres across the state, in line with the Commission’s guidelines,” he stated.
He urged all eligible citizens who are yet to register, as well as those who require any form of voter data update, to take advantage of this opportunity and participate actively in the ongoing exercise. Civic participation remains a cornerstone of democracy, and voter registration is the first step toward meaningful engagement in the electoral process.
Garba reiterated the commission’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, transparent, inclusive, and credible voter registration exercise and assured the public of its readiness to continuously improve service delivery.
