The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has restated its commitment to ensuring that every eligible voter in the queue before the official close of polls will cast their vote during the 2026 governorship election.
According to Eko Hot Blog Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the state, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, gave the assurance on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo.
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The gathering was aimed at briefing stakeholders on preparations for the upcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and the rollout of the 2026 election timetable.
Dr. Agboke explained that voters already on the queue before 2:30 pm on election day will be allowed to vote, adding that INEC officials and security personnel will ensure that the process is orderly and in line with electoral guidelines.
“At exactly 2:30 pm, an APO3 and a security officer will stand behind the last person on the queue. Everyone already on the queue will be allowed to vote.
No one will be asked to leave. But no additional person will be allowed to join the line after that time,” he said.
He, however, cautioned that any attempt by individuals to forcefully join the queue or insist on voting after the stipulated time would be treated as a criminal offence and dealt with according to the law.
CVR to Begin August 18 Online, Physical Biometrics to Follow
The REC further disclosed that the CVR exercise will kick off on August 18, 2025, beginning with online registration via the INEC portal: https://cvr.inecnigeria.org.
After completing the online form, registrants are to print their registration slip and proceed to their respective INEC local government offices for biometric capturing, starting from August 25.
Dr. Agboke also addressed concerns regarding CVR centres located within local government secretariats that have remained inaccessible due to the political crisis between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
“Although INEC offices inside LG secretariats are not shut down, many secretariats are currently under lock. We have compiled a list of affected LGs and forwarded it to our headquarters. Plans are in motion to relocate those registration centres outside the secretariats to ensure access,” he stated.
Over 360,000 PVCs Still Unclaimed
Speaking on voter readiness, the REC revealed that 360,794 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are yet to be collected across Osun State. Out of the 1,954,800 registered voters, only 1,594,006 have picked up their PVCs.
He urged eligible voters to take advantage of the CVR period to register or update their records and collect their cards.
“Let people know that this is the time to prepare. The commission is ready and transparent. We will deploy technology like BVAS again to ensure credible elections in 2026,” he added.
2026 Governorship Election Timetable Released
INEC has officially posted notices signaling the commencement of activities for the August 8, 2026 Osun governorship election. Political party primaries are to be conducted between November 24 and December 15, 2025, while the window for submission of candidates’ particulars will run from January 15 to February 9, 2026.
Dr. Agboke praised political parties, INEC staff, and security agencies for their cooperation so far and appealed for sustained collaboration towards delivering peaceful and transparent elections.
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