Ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship contest, the Independent National Electoral Commission has paused the issuance of Permanent Voter Cards in Osun State. Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the commission’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, confirmed the suspension in a weekend announcement.
This pause is intended to let officials finalize voter collection statistics and process data on downloaded cards. Furthermore, the commission set a midnight deadline of August 9, 2026, for voters seeking replacement cards for lost or damaged originals. This cut-off ensures that all final voter figures are ready before the polls open.
The electoral body previously held collection sessions at registration areas between July 22 and 31, followed by a week of local government level distribution ending August 7. Officials also addressed security incidents in Odo-Otin and Ife Central, where thieves stole voter cards. INEC clarified that these stolen cards are invalid for voting and advised affected citizens to secure the digital replacements provided. The commission remains committed to delivering a credible election.
In separate news, INEC granted political parties extra time to submit candidate lists for the upcoming 2027 General Election. The deadline was pushed from August 8 to August 11, 2026, after requests for an extension were reviewed.
