The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State until Friday, July 31, 2026, to enable more eligible voters to obtain their cards ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the extension on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, saying the decision was taken to ensure that no eligible voter is denied the opportunity to participate in the election.
According to him, 322,822 PVCs, representing 60 per cent of newly registered voters, had been collected as of the close of distribution on Tuesday.
“As at the close of PVC collection yesterday, a total of 322,822, representing 60 per cent of the newly registered voters, had collected their PVCs. Consequently, the commission has reviewed this development and, in the interest of inclusivity, decided to extend the collection of PVCs until Friday, July 31, 2026, to enable those who have been unable to collect their cards to do so.
This is to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the Commission had finalized the register of voters with 2,339,233 eligible voters across the state’s 30 local government areas, 332 wards, and 3,763 polling units. He added that 14 political parties had been cleared to participate in the election.
Amupitan also said the Commission was working with security agencies to ensure adequate protection at PVC collection centres.
“We have contacted the security agencies and will engage the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
After this meeting, I will meet with ICCES to ensure massive deployment of patrol vehicles around the collection centres. Those concerned should take advantage of this extension and collect their PVCs,” he said.
He further explained that the voter register had been cleaned using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which removed cases of double registration and other invalid entries.
“The cleanup legally verified electoral voters in our register as 2,339,233 citizens.
Those are the people who have the right to vote in the August 15, 2026 election,” he added.
The 14 political parties and their governorship candidates cleared for the election are: Accord (Adeleke Ademola), AA (Olarewaju Farinloye), AAC (Esan Olajide), ADC (Salaam Najeem), ADP (Adeagbo Opawoye), APC (Oyebamiji Bola), APGA (Adeyemi-Doro Adesina), APM (Adebayo Adewale), APP (Adesuyi Clement), BP (Adeleke Adesoji), NNPP (Adeleke Taofeek), PRP (Saliu Oyelami), YPP (Ogunsakin Enoch), and ZLP (Adesuyi Olufemi).
Speaking at the meeting,INEC National Commissioner Prof. Kunle Ajayi urged stakeholders to support INEC’s commitment to conducting an inclusive, peaceful, and credible election.
He said the Commission, under the leadership of Prof. Amupitan, had continued to work diligently to ensure that the governorship poll reflects the will of the people of Osun State, free from violence, intimidation, and electoral malpractice.
Also speaking, Barr. Oluwatoyin Babalola said the PVC distribution exercise had recorded significant progress.
She disclosed that 62 per cent of the PVCs earmarked for distribution had already been collected and noted that the official register of voters had been presented to political parties participating in the election.
Babalola reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, neutrality, inclusivity, and the conduct of a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Osun State.
