Gombe REC Storms 11 LGAs, Reassures Citizens of Credible Voter Registration

By Our Political Reporter

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Gombe State, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, has reaffirmed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) commitment to credible electoral processes as he embarked on a four-day familiarization and inspection tour of all eleven Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Dr. Idris, who assumed duty recently, said the tour was designed to acquaint him with the terrain, monitor the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), and interact with stakeholders to strengthen confidence in the electoral process.

The exercise kicked off on Tuesday, September 9, at the Bambam Sub-office in Balanga LGA, where the REC was received by the Electoral Officer, Mr. Kabiru Jauro, and other staff. The EO explained that the sub-office was created to ease logistical challenges due to the difficult terrain of the area.

On the same day, Dr. Idris visited Kaltungo, Shongom, Billiri, and Akko LGAs, engaging directly with community stakeholders and addressing contentious issues. He assured residents that INEC remains committed to resolving disputes in line with its mandate of delivering free, fair, and transparent elections.

Day two of the tour took the REC to Talasse, the headquarters of Balanga LGA, where he inspected registration centres and assessed damages to the office roof caused by a recent rainstorm. At Yamaltu-Deba, he chaired a stakeholders’ meeting that resulted in the amicable resolution of long-standing concerns. He commended the parties for their cooperation and pledged to forward the outcome to INEC headquarters for further action.

The tour continued with visits to Nafada, Funakaye, Kwami, Dukku, and concluded at Gombe LGA. In several locations, Dr. Idris inspected INEC-owned lands reportedly facing encroachment and assured staff that the matter had already been escalated to Abuja for prompt intervention.

Across the LGAs, the REC praised the dedication of INEC staff and urged them to sustain professionalism, stressing that their work was critical to the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.

“You are the foot soldiers of the Commission and carry huge responsibilities on your shoulders as field staff,” Dr. Idris told them. “The Commission values your contributions and is counting on you to consolidate the gains of the last decade.”

He also encouraged Electoral Officers to be proactive, adopt problem-solving strategies, and remain steadfast to INEC’s core values in their daily assignments.

The REC further appealed to all eligible Nigerians in Gombe State to take advantage of the year-long CVR exercise to register, update their details, or access other electoral services, noting that broad participation is vital for the success of future elections.