Osogbo/Abuja — August 9, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State as preparations intensify for the governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
In a press release issued on Saturday, August 8, and signed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission announced the end of the physical collection exercise. It also set a final deadline for eligible voters to print downloadable replacement PVCs.
Voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, 2026, to download and print copies of their cards. INEC said the cut-off is necessary to compile final statistics on total PVCs collected ahead of the poll.
Collection in Osun began at the Registration Area (RA) level from July 22 to July 28, 2026. Due to complaints of large crowds and difficulties at centres, the Commission extended RA-level collection to July 31. It then shifted to Local Government Area (LGA) offices, where collection ran from August 1 to August 7, 2026.
INEC also confirmed that replacement downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central local government areas whose cards were stolen when hoodlums invaded the two collection centres. The Commission reiterated that the stolen cards cannot be used for voting, as biometric verification through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is required.
Earlier in the exercise, INEC reported that 322,822 PVCs, representing about 62 percent of those available for newly registered voters, had been collected by late July. The Commission had extended deadlines and engaged security agencies to improve access and safety at centres after reports of overcrowding and isolated attacks.
In the same statement, INEC announced a separate extension for political parties. The deadline for uploading lists of candidates for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for the February 2027 general election has been moved from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following appeals from parties for more time.
INEC reassured the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on August 15, 2026. The election will involve approximately 2.34 million registered voters across 30 local government areas, 332 registration areas and 3,763 polling units, with 14 political parties participating. The Commission has deployed thousands of BVAS devices and continues coordination with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
Eligible voters who have not yet obtained their PVCs or downloadable replacements are urged to meet the midnight Sunday deadline. Possession of a valid PVC (or approved downloadable version where applicable) remains essential for accreditation and voting on election day.
Sources say that the Commission’s statement underscores its focus on finalising voter data and logistics in the final days before the Osun governorship poll.
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