Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has raised the alarm over what he described as an unimpressive turnout recorded during the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the state, warning that voter apathy could undermine democratic participation if urgent corrective steps are not taken.
 
The governor expressed his concern yesterday at a sensitisation and advocacy engagement organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collaboration with the Delta State Government at the Government House, Asaba.
 
Represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, the governor said the figure of just over 76,000 registrants recorded in the first phase of the CVR fell far below expectations for a state of Delta’s population size and political awareness.
 
According to him, voter registration remains the gateway to democratic participation and the foundation of a credible, inclusive, and representative electoral process, stressing that low registration numbers pose a significant challenge to democratic legitimacy.
 
The governor said: “The figures we have seen do not reflect the population strength or democratic consciousness of Delta State.
 
“This calls for renewed commitment and aggressive mobilisation at the grassroots to ensure that eligible citizens are not shut out of the electoral process.”
 
Oborevwori urged traditional rulers, political parties, religious institutions, civil society organisations, youth and women groups, market associations, and the media to take ownership of the voter registration campaign by driving awareness directly to communities.
 
He made a special appeal to youths and first-time voters, describing them as the future of democracy, warning that failure to register would amount to surrendering their voices in governance.

MEANWHILE, Sokoto State has emerged as the third best-performing state nationwide in the first phase of the CVR exercise, with a total of 162,299 eligible voters successfully registered.
 
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Umar Yusuf Garba, disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the exercise. Garba said the first phase of the CVR, which ran from August 18 to December 10, 2025, recorded significant success and reflected growing civic consciousness among residents.
 
“This achievement is a clear indication of increasing awareness and commitment of the people of Sokoto to participate in the democratic process,” he said.
 
According to him, the first phase of the exercise was designed to bring voter registration closer to the people, especially those in remote and rural communities.