By: Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto.

Sokoto State has emerged among the top three states nationwide in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, with over 160,000 new voters registered, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Umar Yusuf Garba, has disclosed.

Speaking while briefing journalists in Sokoto, Garba described the achievement as significant, noting that the state is not among Nigeria’s most populous, ranking between 17th and 18th nationally.

According to the REC, sustained sensitisation efforts and strong media support, particularly from newspapers and radio stations, played a crucial role in creating awareness and encouraging residents to participate in the exercise. He added that these efforts motivated many first-time voters, resulting in heavy turnout at registration centres across the state.

Garba further announced that the second phase of the CVR exercise would commence on January 5, targeting eligible Nigerians who have attained the age of 18 or those who have never registered to vote.

He urged residents to take advantage of the early period of the exercise and avoid last-minute rushes that could lead to overcrowding at registration centres. He also assured the public that INEC has a robust system in place to detect and eliminate multiple registrations.

The REC commended INEC staff in Sokoto for their dedication and resilience throughout the exercise and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting credible, transparent, and inclusive elections.