The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the lists of their candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for the February 2027 General Election.
The commission said the submission window, which was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, August 8, 2026, will now remain open until Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
INEC, in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the extension followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the commission’s dedicated online portal.
The electoral body also announced the suspension of the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State, ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
According to the commission, voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
INEC explained that the deadline would enable it to compile data on downloaded PVCs and determine the final statistics of collected voter cards ahead of the election.
The commission recalled that PVC collection in Osun State began at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026. However, following complaints about large crowds and difficulties faced by voters at collection centres, the exercise was extended to July 31.
Collection subsequently moved to the local government level and continued from August 1 to 7, 2026.
INEC also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the invasion of two collection centres by hoodlums, during which some PVCs were carted away.
The commission stressed that the stolen PVCs could not be used to vote in the August 15 election.
INEC assured the people of Osun State that it remains fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election.
