- INEC suspended PVC collection in Osun ahead of August 15 election.
- Voters replacing damaged cards must print downloadable PVCs by Sunday.
- INEC extended political parties’ candidate upload deadline to August 11.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that INEC announced the decision in a statement issued on Saturday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
According to the commission, the suspension will allow it to compile data on downloaded PVCs and prepare the final statistics of voters who collected their cards ahead of the election.
INEC also directed voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to print their downloadable cards on or before midnight on Sunday, August 9.
The commission said the PVC collection exercise began at the Registration Area level on July 22 and was initially scheduled to end on July 28.
However, the exercise was extended to July 31 following complaints from voters about large crowds and difficulties at some collection centres.
The commission said, “The Registration Area collection was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres.”
The exercise was subsequently moved to the local government level and continued from August 1 to 7.
“The collection subsequently moved to the local government level and continued from August 1 to 7, 2026,” INEC stated.
The commission said suspending the collection would enable it to conclude the compilation of data required to determine the final number of PVCs collected across Osun State.
Stolen PVCs Cannot Be Used, INEC Says
INEC also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to affected voters in Odo Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas.
The voters reportedly lost access to their cards after hoodlums invaded two PVC collection centres and carted away the cards.
The commission urged the affected voters to obtain their replacement downloadable copies before the deadline.
INEC also reassured voters that the stolen PVCs could not be used to cast ballots during the election.
The electoral body appealed to eligible voters who had applied for replacement cards to take advantage of the window before it closes.
As preparations for the August 15 election enter the final stage, INEC reassured residents that it was fully prepared for the governorship poll.
The commission promised to conduct a “free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on August 15.”
The election is expected to be closely contested as political parties and their candidates intensify their campaigns ahead of the poll.
INEC Extends Candidate Upload Deadline
Meanwhile, INEC has extended the deadline for political parties to upload their lists of candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for the February 2027 General Election.
Haruna disclosed that the deadline, which was originally scheduled to expire on Saturday, August 8, had been extended to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
He said the extension followed appeals from political parties for additional time to complete the submission process.
The commission urged the parties to use the additional period to complete the upload of their candidates’ details before the new deadline.
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