The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their candidates for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections by three days.
The commission said the deadline, initially scheduled to close on Saturday, August 8, 2026, has been moved to Tuesday, August 11, following appeals from political parties for more time to complete the submission process.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
The commission also announced the suspension of physical Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) collection in Osun State as it prepares final statistics ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
According to INEC, 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.
The commission said the deadline would enable it to compile the data of downloaded PVCs and determine the final number of PVCs collected ahead of the election.
PVC collection in Osun commenced at Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
INEC also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were stolen when hoodlums invaded the two collection centres.
The commission stressed that the stolen PVCs cannot be used to vote.
INEC assured the people of Osun State that it is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on August 15, 2026.