By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to upload their candidates for the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.
The commission moved the deadline from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
Mohammed Haruna, chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday.
“The submission window, which, according to the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the general election, was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the statement reads.
According to the commission, the decision followed requests from several political parties for more time to complete the submission process.
“The extension follows growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process.”
INEC also announced the end of the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
It said voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs had until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
“In a related development, the commission wishes to notify voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVC that the window to print downloadable copies of their cards will expire by midnight of Sunday, 9th August, 2026,” the statement added.
The commission said the measure would enable it to determine the final number of PVCs collected before the election.
“This is to allow the commission to compile the data of downloaded PVCs for final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15th Osun governorship election.”
INEC also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been provided for voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas whose cards were reportedly taken during an invasion of two collection centres.
“The commission also wishes to state that replacement downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife central local government areas whose cards were carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two centres. The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote,” INEC said.
Haruna explained that the PVC collection exercise in Osun began at the Registration Area level on July 22 and was initially scheduled to end on July 28.
“It will be recalled that the collection of PVCs in Osun State commenced at the Registration Area (RA) level from 22nd to 28th July, 2026,” he said.
He added that the commission extended the exercise after voters complained about overcrowding and challenges at collection centres.
“Owing to complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, the commission approved an extension of RA-level collection to 31st July, 2026, before collection moved to LGA level, running from 1st to 7th August, 2026.”
INEC restated its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election in Osun State on August 15.